Arranged marriage
by Supergirl waiting for Reamonn
Summary: The elders wish to marry Byakuya with Rukia so they would obtain an heir. In order to escape this marriage, Byakuya plans to marry Rukia with someone else. Who decides Byakuya to have as his brother-in-law? No one else, but the substitute shinigami, Kurosaki Ichigo. Follow how Ichigo and Rukia slowly discover true love through an arranged marriage. An Ichiruki romantic comedy
1. The issue

_**Hi there,**_

_**Have you ever read those kind of Byaruki fanfictions on which the elders were always compelling the two to get married in order to procure an heir. They don't want but in the end they fall in in love and get married. Well this story is the reverse of this stiuation. The elders are compelling Byakuya and Rukia to get married, but Byakuya is thinking of a solution... and this solution implies... well read and find out!**_

_**This is an ichiruki story.**_

_**I am a fast updater, sometimes even dialy... but it all depends on the feedback i receive. ( the more reviews i get, the faster i update... this is how i work)**_

_**And one more thing... be kind on my english mistakes. I'm not a native speaker.**_

_**Otherwise enjoy!**_

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_**1. The Issue**_

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Kuchiki Byakuya was starting to have a headache. During the last hour it became stronger so in order to get rid of it he decided to not listen to what the elders had to say. He knew very well that there were more important things that required his attention, things like keeping a constant amount of hollows in the human world or maintaining his recruits prepared for battle at any moment. His celibacy wasn't in his opinion, an important matter. The elders though, found it pretty interesting.

"Lord Kuchiki, our clan still doesn't have a heir… you are the only pureblood left."

This is how the debate commanded. Byakuya found it harmless on the beginning. It wasn't the first time when "the heir" issue was brought up in the spotlight during the Council's meeting. Like the other times he was prepared to close himself in ignorance until the topic would about to be used up, but even after an hour, the elders were far from arriving at a conclusion. There was though, an opinion unanimously shared by the old nobles:

"Kuchiki-sama needs to remarry in order to produce us an heir"

And this was the affirmation that was annoyed Kuchiki Byakuya the most. He was never interested in others' personal life so why would they interfere with his? It was not like he had something against "marriages". It wasn't a matter a principle, because he used to be the only married captain in Gotei 13. It was more a matter of personal choice. He loved once, he was married once… and it was enough for him. He didn't plan to spoil Hisana's memory with a second marriage only for the sake of an heir. If they really wanted an heir, he will offer them Rukia. She wasn't a pureblood but she had the Kuchiki ways in her spirit more than half of the elders. '_Yes, Rukia is the best solution'_ he stated mentally, prepared to end once for all, "the heir issue" among the elders… bit then on the elders went ahead:

"Indeed, Rukia-sama is the best solution! She is already aware of the Kuchiki ways…"

'_Good'_ Byakuya stated. '_For once, they will agree with me.'_

"…And they're not blood related. Yes, Rukia-sama will make the perfect wife!" the same voice added.

Byakuya's eyes instantly widened. Both he and the elders had though at the same person as the solution to this endless quarrel, but the approach was different. He was thinking of making Rukia, the heir directly, while the elders thought of compelling Rukia to offer them "the heir", by passing trough his bed.

"Outrageous!" Byakuya stated… but it was too late. The elders seemed to be unanimously on making Rukia his wife.

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Byakuya's headaches became unbearable during the next few hours. He knew that he could escape death in front of an enemy… He knew that he could avoid the captains meetings twice a year… but he was aware that could not ignore the elder's decisions. Even so he was not going to marry his sister. This was out of the questions!

He spent the rest of the day trying to figure out a solution. How could he escape a marriage? At a certain point he thought of telling the council that his sexual orientation has changed and because of that it would have been impossible for him to be with Rukia. Maybe he would have even come up with a story between Renji and him. Desperate moments requires desperate actions!… But no! He wasn't that desperate!

In what other way could he escape the marriage? If he went and talked to Rukia directly she would have certainly lowered her gaze adding something like: "If Nii-sama believes it's for the best, I will marry him." So it was useless trying to get for an honest opinion from her. He knew though, that she will also find this idea outrageous. She was still an innocent and pure woman wondering how will her first love look. He didn't know if she had already experienced romantic love, but an arrange marriage with her nonetheless brother would have destroy all her chances for a happy family… and he had promised Hisana that he will do anything in his power to make her little sister happy. Rukia had the right of a loving marriage. What if she already had someone that she loved? Won't the elders ruin her plans then?...

And then an idea crossed Kuchiki Byakuya's mind. He had suddenly found the solution to "the marriage issue". The elders wanted so bad to marry him with Rukia… but that would be impossible if Rukia would marry someone else first!

A slight smile appeared on his lips. In moments like this he was glad he was Kuchiki Byakuya and that unlike Abarai Renji , his brain's synapses were really working. Now only one issue remained unsolved:

"To whom should he marry Rukia?"

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Rukia was sitting silently in Byakuya's study looking around at the beautiful calligraphy paintings that were covering the walls. She was never good at calligraphy, but that didn't stop her from admiring her brother's talent. As a matter a fact she was admiring all the people that were good at things she couldn't handle. Lately she found herself admiring a lot of people.

She mentally gasped and turned her gaze to her brother who was sitting quietly at his desk, adopting his usual stiffed and official air. She was here because he asked her to meet him after the dinner. She thought it must be a matter of importance, but it's been more than five minutes and he hasn't said a word. Normally she would have broken the ice by now, but when she was around her Nii-sama she will remember her good manners and wait for the older ones to address first… If it would have been Ichigo in his place, she would have punched him by now, for making her waste her time by watching him staying still and silent. She suddenly remembered Ichigo. She hasn't spoke with him for more than half a year. There was no fight that cut between them. She had been busy with her lieutenant duties, while he needed time to write his master dissertation. She promised that she will visit from time to time… he promised that he will call, but none of them kept their promise.

She mentally scolded herself for that behavior and promised that after Nii-sama will let her go, she will go the her office and call Ichigo.

"How was your day, Rukia?" Byakuya suddenly asked.

Rukia almost startled. Due to the silence around her, for a second she almost forgot about Nii-sama's presence.

"Well… busy…" she replied, using the first words that crossed her mind.

"So you are tired…" he stated.

"Mmm… n-not really…" she replied unsure.

"But still… you are working too much."

Rukia didn't know what to answer because she couldn't find the point her brother was trying to make.

"Maybe you should refrain from working so hard and save some time for yourself" he added.

She just bowed and nodded affirmatively.

"A woman of your age should go out more…" he continued.

She frowned confused, as she was wondering herself, what kind of conversation was that?

"You should go on dates also…" he added.

Her eyes widened. It was settled. Nii-sama must have hit his head. She had no other choice but to go along with him. This way this conversation will be over sooner.

"Yes, Nii-sama… I will" she said.

"You will or are you already going?"

She remained speechless, still processing his last words…and then he put that one in a lifetime question:

"Rukia are you in love with someone?"

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It was useless receiving an opinion from Rukia. If she had someone she loved or not, he, Kuchiki Byakuya will never find out. Poor girl was so shocked when he put that question that he decided to end the conversation and sent her back to her room.

But Kuchiki Byakuya was intrigued. If a question like that was letting her speechless, he wondered her reaction when he will tell her that the elders had decided to make her his wife and that her only escape is to marry someone else.

Now in the loneliness of his study he was thinking of finding the right suitor for Rukia. Giving that he was forcing her to get marry, he will at least be reasonable and let her marry anyone she'd desire. It was true that the laws were compelling her to enter into a noble marriage, most probably an arranged one, but giving the sacrifice she was about to make, he will allow her to find the husband she pleases.

The only problem nagging him, was that Rukia would not be able to name the person she wants to marry and that will leave him the only capable of finding her a husband.

If she will marry, he wished he a husband that could make her fell comfortable. Perhaps someone she knows already for a long time… someone who could make her feel at ease. Of course, on the other hand that person ought to cherish Rukia the most, willing to give his life for her at any moment.

A list of names begun to appear in his mind:

It started with Renji and giving that he was his best shot and top of the list, he felt somehow disappointed. He wished better for Rukia…

If that Shiba Kaien would have still been alive and unmarried, he would have been perfect…

Then his eyes widened. He realized that he knew a person who was the best mixture from those two, early mentioned.

A self pleased smile appeared on his lips. He suddenly knew the person Rukia will marry…

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Ichigo sneezed. It was the third time during the last five minutes and he didn't even catch a cold. He was perfectly healthy, having his usual Friday at the local pub with his highschool friends.

"Bless you!" Mizuiro said.

"Someone must be thinking of you intensely if you are sneezing like this… who knows…perhaps a girlfriend?" Keigo added.

"What girlfriend?" Ichigo snapped annoyed. "I don't have time for girlfriends!"

"This line is too old!" Keigo replied with boredom. "It was good when you were writing your dissertation… but it's been already two weeks since you graduated from your master, so…"

"It's the shinigami thing…" Mizuiro added.

"If I were a girl I'll find it pretty cool to have a boyfriend with a huge sword…"

Mizuro widened his eyes at Keigo's allusions.

"If you were a girl, Keigo, you wouldn't like a boyfriend who, in the middle of a romantic dinner, suddenly disappears for half an hour, telling you that he needs to use the toilet when in reality he's going to fight some hollows." Ichigo replied.

"Well in the end you'll have to find someone to make your girlfriend and then marry her…" Keigo concluded.

"What's wrong with you, bringing marriage into discussion?! I'm barely 25…" Ichigo snapped.

"So what…I'm also 25…" Keigo replied.

"And single…" Mizuiro added apathetically.

"I may be… but unlike Ichigo, I am open to perspectives…"

"Which literally means that you are desperate…That's why you'll be forever alone, while Ichigo will eventually find someone to fit his special… shinigami needs." Mizuiro concluded.

"Now can we cut the marriage crap, please? It's not like I want to get married!" Ichigo asked with boredom. "Anyway… it's late so I'll go home… and probably I will apply online my CV, hoping that one of these days someone will call me to an interview so I won't ask money from my old man anymore!"

"Good luck!" stated Mizuiro, while he ordered another beer.

"It's so cold of you Ichigo to leave me here only this mean guy! Stay a little more, Ichigoooo!"

"Go home, Keigo and try to find a job! Good night, guys!" Ichigo added while heading to the door.

When he left the pub, Ichigo found himself in the middle on warm summer night. He loved the smell of summer. It made him think of vacation, of late mornings and the pleasant feeling of having nothing to do. Of course it was just a sensation, a reminiscence of old highschool days… Even though he graduated from college and he was free for the time being, he needed to find a job…a flexible one. In other words, he needed a job that could permit him to perform his shinigami duties. Having a bachelor degree in law and master degree in commercial procedure it shouldn't be hard… and yet… he was wondering: did he really want to work in a multinational company for the rest of his life? … The answer was futile. Even if he wanted, even if he didn't, he had no choice but to accept it.

He gasped. At least he had this shinigami thing to get him out of the routine. His shinigmai duties and all that was related to Soul Society…

He suddenly remembered Rukia. They haven't spoken for more than six months. He promised to call when he will have some free time on his hand. Today it has been two weeks since he had nothing but free time on his hand. Yet he didn't call her. He wasn't sure why… but lately he found himself keeping a distance from her. Was it because he was slowly realizing that, even though he was a substitute shinigami, they were actually parts of two different worlds? Even so… he missed her, because she was different from any other girls he had met. She had something that made him feel at ease around her at any time, in any circumstances. She had something that could make him smile in the middle of crappiest situation… something that gave him courage to struggle, even when there was no way out. But what made her the most special was that even after all this time she was still the only one who could stop the rain…

He twisted the key and opened the door of his house. Since it was past midnight, everybody was asleep so, he silently took of his Converse shoes and headed to his room.

'_Well, that was a stupid behavior from his part, to maintain the distance from Rukia' _he thought. Right after he will enter the room, he will take that mobile phone he received from the 12th Division and call Rukia… but when he arrived in his room, something happened that would changed his plans.

A hell butterfly was waiting for him on the window carrying a message from no other, but Kuchiki Byakuya. He cocked his eyes surprised. The captain was actually inviting him to his estate tomorrow. It was also reassuring him that he meant no harm… and that he is expecting a meeting in cordially terms.

Ichigo waited a couple of seconds before he stated mentally: "Yeah… what the hell! I don't care of what he has to say, but i kind of missed Rukia…and Renji and the others…"

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_**So that was for the beginning. Let me know what you think! Remember ...**__** the more reviews i get, the faster i update...**_

_****__**See ya!**_


	2. Resolution

_**Hi, as i promised, i returned with a fast update. Let's see how Ichigo will handle the big news. Will he accept to marry Rukia? What Rukia thinks of all this? It's all in this chapter.**_

_**Thank you for your good reactions. I hope this chapter won't disappoint your expectations (because i'm planing to make this story long... you know, that kind who enters the category " more than 100, 000 words )**_

_**If some of you read my other stories, you should already know that i answer each and one review and the A.N' note, so...**_

_**-Guest , thank , all in all i should understand it's a good start. :)**_

_**-Star fire girl 788, i'm glad that my english wasn't bad on this first chapter. If am not wrong, i think you are also following A frozen ocean of rain, am i right?**_

_**-byakuya7687, glad you read the my notes ( well at least someone it's paying attention to what i'm saying. kidding). Well in this story Byakuya doesn't hate ichigo... but that doesn't mean he likes him. He just thinks he's the best solution for this issue.**_

_**-pmw928, i'm glad you think this is a fun fic. I really wish it to be so... ( actually it's the first time i'm doing something of this kind... usually i'm better at writing shakespearean's tragedies.)  
**_

_**-annia9semi, hey, i know you... you're also following "A frozen ocean of rain". Hope you'll like this on too... it's much lighter than A frozen ocean of rain.**_

_**-LumineNightshade35, is this your new favorite fan fic? I'd be really glad to hear that.**_

_**-anon, well to be honest i'm way past K rating... so rating my change.**_

_**-Pancakes, told you... english it's not my native language. I've learn it from tv so mistakes still might come.**_

_**-IchigoMoonCutter, i'm glad it caught your interest. :) you know how they say it on tv: "stay tooned for more", haha.**_

_**-hunterofcomedy, " limitless potential to have fun with." - that's that exactly the reason i've chosen this plot! :) As for the reason why Byakuya chose Ichigo... It was a compromise he made. He knew that only Rukia would be the one "to suffer" from the resolution he had found to the Elders's decision... so at least he will allow her to marry a person she'd feel comfortable with. He doesn't really like Ichigo, but he's not blind and he can see the connection Rukia has with him. That's wyu he chose him.**_

_**-ichiruki3, i'm glad it sound funny. That's why i intended in the first place**_

_**-sleeplygirl, happy to hear that! :)**_

_**-jelly , hi there... so you're following this story also... well this one will be very different from A frozen ocean of rain. To start with, i'll cut here all the heartbreaking moments :)**_

_**-vic, well i hope it's going in a good direction**_

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_**Enjoy and mind the english mistakes (if i'll try to get a beta, then the updates will slow down so...)**_

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_**2. Resolution**_

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Extracts from an interview Rukia and Ichigo gave a couple of decades later to the SWA monthly magazine:

**_Question1: What made you, Ichigo, accept marrying Rukia back then?_**

**_Rukia (maliciously smiling):_******_I think he was secretly in love with me..._

**_Ichigo:_******_Actually i wasn't... i just didn't want you to marry Renji._

**_Rukia:_******_So you were jealous!_

**_Ichigo:_**_~sight~_

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Rukia wasn't the kind of person to sleep until noon, but she liked Saturdays because even if she could stay laid on the futon and listen to the sound of birds and chilly breeze playing with the leaves of the trees. This morning, though, she wasn't paying attention to any of these. She kept thinking of the conversations she had the other evening with Nii-sama. He actually asked her if she was in love with someone. She was shocked, unable to offer him an answer. The first thought that crossed her mind was why would her Nii-sama ask such a questions. Did he read lately the Shinigami Women Association's magazine? Those girls did have the habit of spreading false rumors… but she wasn't aware of an article concerning her love life… because she actually had no love life. She was too busy with her lieutenant duties. Between a meeting with her captain and a training session with the recruits, when could she find the time for a boyfriend? And wasn't she supposed to be in love before thinking of a boyfriend?… The romantic feeling was an unknown notion for her. She just didn't have the time, nor the right person for that. Or maybe she had… but it was out of the question… he was just…

"Uuuuuuh!" she growled getting out her futon. "_What am I thinking?!"_

She washed her face, got dressed and went to have breakfast with her Nii-sama. She hoped that today he came to his senses and he won't put questions regarding her inexistent love life. It made her feel too embarrassed.

During breakfast, both Rukia and Byakuya were silent. For Rukia it was a comfortable silence, but soon it was broke by Byakuya.

"Today, at lunch we'll have a guest…" he begun.

She nodded and poured herself a glass of milk.

"I will ask you to take your time and look your best… The maids will help you with preparing yourself" Byakuya added.

Rukia put the glass down and frowned confused. Nii-sama never asked her before to look her best in front his guests.

"May I ask who this guest is?" she questioned.

"It's Kurosaki Ichigo" Byakuya replied simply.

Her first reaction was an enthusiastic smile given that she will get to see her best orange haired friend after six months… but then her smile slowly fated, puzzled by the unexplainable reasons for which her brother was: first inviting Ichigo to his house and then he was asking her to take the time and look her best.

"Is there anyone else coming except Ichigo?" she asked.

"No, just Kurosaki…" Byakuya replied and put aside the plate, finishing his breakfast.

Rukia was more than confused. Something was wrong with her Nii-sama and she couldn't figure out what exactly.

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Ichigo made his appearance at the Kuchiki manor early then he was expected. He found out that Byakuya was at his headquarters and he will return in less than an hour. Meanwhile he was invited to serve a traditional green tea, but he refused, preferring to spend that time with Rukia. He walked on the porch until he reached her room and trough the opened door he saw her standing in front of the mirror, unsuccessfully trying fix in nice style her raven hair, now longer then ever.

"Yo, Rukia!" he shouted cheerfully from the threshold, causing the petite shinigami to startle, while she dropped both the hairbrush and the hair pin.

"Ichigo!" she hissed surprised and a second later coming to her senses she shouted at him: "Is this a way to greet someone after six months?!"

Ichigo frowned annoyed.

"You tell me if that's a way to greet someone after six months, by shouting and yelling!" he replied.

"I'm in full position of yelling. You just burst into my room without announcing yourself! What If I was changing my clothes?"

"But you weren't…" he replied untroubled.

"I wasn't… but what if?!" she snapped.

"Well… the door was opened… where was i supposed to knock?" he asked exasperated.

"That's not the door, Ichigo! That's the porch! If you wanted to come into my room… you should have used the entrance door, there!" and she pointed the closed door of her room.

He cocked an eyebrow, looking at the door with a serious lack of interest.

"Look who's talking…" he stated. "The one who used to sleep in my closet without my permission!"

On that line Rukia couldn't reply. She just took the hairbrush and he pin from the floor.

"You promised you'll call!" she said after a couple of minutes with a slight reproach in her voice.

"And you promised that you'll visit…" he replied borrowing her stiffed manner of talking.

"I was busy!" she defended herself.

"I was busy also!..." he replied. " You know, writing a dissertation on commercial procedure for middle manufacture products designed for Japanese export is not actually a piece of cake!"

She frowned. She didn't understood a word from what his dissertation was, so she figure it out that it must have been difficult. Then she gasped. Why each reunion she had with him was violent, in a physical or verbal way? Couldn't they at least once go for cheesy lines like: "It's been a while! I've missed you and I'm really glad to see you"?

"At least I came to see you now…" he added with a grin.

She turned to him surprised.

"You came to see me?... I thought that you had some business with Nii…"

But she was interrupted by a servant who knocked on the door in order to announce that Kuchiki Byakuya had returned and that he is expecting them in the dining room for lunch.

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Ichigo was looking at his food. He barely touched it. Usually, he ate the quantum of two normal persons, but the silent and up-tight atmosphere made him lose all his appetite. He kept asking himself, what was he actually doing here? Next to him, Rukia was eating, looking only at her plate. She seemed relaxed and mind absent at the same time. At the top of the table Byakuya was supervising the two of them intensively. In his opinion Rukia was looking kind of slipshod. Especially her hair that was totally ruffled. Didn't he just tell her to look her best? Then his gaze ran down to Ichigo Kurosaki. He was aware of the reason he called him to lunch, but in the same time he knew that food must be eaten in quietude so he will him to finish his plate first. '_Until then some small conversation won't do any harm'_ he thought.

"How do you find the mushrooms sauté, Kurosaki Ichigo?" Byakuya asked. "Our cook it's one of the best in Seireitei and he makes sure to use only fresh and healthy ingredients"

Ichigo stared at the strange ingredient on his fork. Was that even a mushroom? He asked himself. He didn't even like mushrooms.

"The food is fine… I guess…" he replied absent.

The next moment he felt something hitting hardly his ankle under the table. He turned and saw Rukia throwing him a deadly glare. _"You're being rude to Nii-sama_" she hissed trough her teeth and then she turned to her brother with one of her fake and sparkling smiles:

"The sauté it's delicious, Nii-sama… I'm sure Ichigo would like to ask for seconds…"

"Very well…"Byakuya concluded and made a sight to one of the servants.

Ichigo's eyes widened worried.

When the lunch was over and Ichigo promised himself to no eat mushrooms again for the next ten years, Byakuya invited him to his study. Then he turned to Rukia and asked her to follow them, also. When the three of them remained alone each of them with a cup of traditional green tea in front of them, Byakuya turned to Rukia and spoke with his specific impersonal voice.

"Rukia, I believe you are aware of the fact that the elders are extremely preoccupied on who the 29th Kuchiki leader will be. My personal desire would be to name you as my heir…"

Rukia's eyes widened. Ichigo frowned, wondering what was his connection with the Kuchiki matters? Rukia as the heir of the Kuchiki clan. He didn't even know how to react. Was he supposed to congratulate her?

"However, the elders did not found this position suitable for you." Byakuya added. "They wish by all means to have a pureblood heir, in other words a child of mine. Moreover, they concluded that its mother and implicitly my wife should be you, Rukia."

Rukia remained blank. Ichigo suddenly turned to Byakuya, making a weary face.

"That's gross!" he stated.

Byakuya's eyebrows slightly frowned:

"I'm glad, Kurosaki Ichigo, that at least once we agree on something" he said apathetically.

"For kami's sake! You are brother and sister!" Ichigo insisted.

"Adoptive brother and sister" Byakuya needed to mention.

"Still… it's sick!" Ichigo replied with repulsion.

"Still…if the elders are delusional it doesn't mean that I'm the same with them. I didn't say that I wish to marry Rukia!"

"Then don't! It's simple!" Ichigo concluded.

Rukia blinked a couple of times and finally decided to silently bow her face. Finding out that her Nii-sama wanted to name her his successor and that the elders wanted to marry her with him was just…too much for a single afternoon.

"I'm afraid it would not that simple, Kurosaki Ichigo…" Byakuya continued. "Once they've settled their mind on something, the elders won't back down."

Ichigo frowned.

"I saved Rukia from the Sokyoku execution… I think I can handle some alienated and senile nobles!"

On Byakuya's marble face, suddenly a pleased expression appeared.

"So you are willing to help?" he asked.

"I thought it was obvious!" Ichigo answered.

Rukia turned to Ichigo surprised. She was prepared to say something. She wasn't quite sure what, though.

"Very well" said Byakuya. "But this time your help won't imply the usage of physical or spiritual strength"

"Should I understand that you have a plan?" Ichigo asked.

"As a matter a fact I do…" Byakuya replied. " The only situation in which the elders will give up the idea of marrying Rukia with me, would be the one in which Rukia will marry someone else first"

Rukia's eyes widened. She thought she heard it all, but apparently she was wrong. She turned to Ichigo, who was visibly displeased with Byakuya's answer.

"That's why I believe the best solution to this issue, Kurosaki Ichigo, is for you to marry Rukia!" Byakuya added.

"WHAT?!" both Ichigo and Rukia shouted at the same time, sharing the same shock that did not impressed the apathetically noble.

"It's out of the question!" Ichigo snapped. Then he turned to the petite shinigami: " Right, Rukia? It's impossible!"

But Rukia didn't answer. She was just starring at him and at her brother.

"It's doesn't have to be a real marriage." Byakuya added. "If you both desire it, you can keep it only for the appearances while you'll both sleep in separate rooms and allow yourself the freedom you need.".

"A marriage for appearances!" Ichigo repeated annoyed.

"This way, Rukia won't have to marry me." Byakuya concluded.

"I think that using bankai on our crazy relatives would be easier…" Ichigo commented. "If you want I can help you with that… but me, marrying Rukia?! That's too far even for a joke… right, Rukia?"

Again she didn't answer. He concluded that the girl was still in shock so he will end this with Byakuya:

"I mean Rukia will never marry me! … She's my nakama and she will never see in me something more than her best friend! I'm sure Rukia deserves to marry a person she would actually love… in a romantic way, I mean."

"So, from your words, I should presume that you do no wish to marry Rukia. Is that right, Kurosaki Ichigo?" Byakuya asked objectively.

Ichigo remained speechless. That question was too forward. He never thought of marrying Rukia. Not even in his craziest dreams. She was just too far away for him to touch. She lived in a different world from his, so in order to maintain his sanity, he never wanted to think of her being more then she already was: his nakama. Even so, he couldn't just bluntly say that he doesn't wished to marry her. He didn't know why… he just couldn't.

"I will take your silence as an affirmative answer, Kurosaki Ichigo!" Byakuya answered. "And since this is your final position I will think of another suitor for Rukia"

"But maybe she doesn't want to marry anyone yet!" Ichigo snapped.

" It may be so but I'm sure that she prefers this instead of marrying her own brother. I will make sure to find a man that will suit Rukia" Byakuya replied.

"And since when do you know what it suit her best? Maybe she likes being alone… have you at least asked her? Doesn't she have anything to say in this?"

On Ichigo's last words both men turned to Rukia with an inquiry expression.

"I..I…" Rukia tried with a nervous voice. She would have liked to say that all this was pure madness and that it couldn't be more than just a dream. But these kinds of words were futile. She ended up saying: "I will do whatever Nii-sama thinks is best"

"Very well" Byakuya stated " And I think the best is a man, that even if Rukia won't care for in a romantic way , he will cherish her more than anything. If you are not willing to be that person, Kurosaki Ichigo, be sure I will find another one. Renji, for example… I'm sure will be more than glad to accept the proposal."

Rukia's eyes widened again. This time they were visibly worried. Ichigo was a crazy idea… but a relation with Renji would have been more incestuous then if she would have married her Nii-sama.

"Renji?!" Ichigo snapped. "She won't just marry Renji!"

"Why not? They know each other since childhood… and he obviously have strong feelings for her" Byakuya replied nonchalantly.

"Really, Renji?!" Ichigo kept repeating annoyed. "No, Rukia would never agree this!"

"What makes you so sure, Kurosaki Ichigo?" and then he turned to his sister. "Rukia, tell us, what do you think of this solution?"

Rukia looked for a second at Ichigo. This marriage thing seemed pretty real. It was obviously that Ichigo was not going to change his mind and she couldn't marry her Nii-sama. On the other hand, Renji wasn't a solution either, because he would never understand the concept of a marriage for appearances. It was futile. There was no way out. She bowed her head in front of her brother and said:

"I will marry, whoever Nii-sama thinks is best for me"

"What?!" Ichigo snapped angry of Rukia's resignation… and then a crazy thought crossed his mind. Maybe Rukia actually liked Renji and that was the reason she wasn't objecting.

"It's settled then, Rukia… you will marry Renji Abarai!" Byakuya concluded.

Rukia didn't answer. Her head was still bowed. Ichigo was intrigued. Maybe she was trying to hide her joy… and if there was joy, it was annoying him. He couldn't explain the reason, but he couldn't stand the idea of Rukia being with Renji… But why? Wasn't a good thing if she will marry someone she actually liked?

"That is of course, if you don't have anyone else you prefer, Rukia" Byakuya added.

But then Ichigo reconsidered. It wasn't just Renji. He couldn't stand the idea of Rukia being with someone…

"There is no one else, Nii-sama… Renji will do" Rukia replied with a low voice.

But what was with that voice? She didn't seem happy at all. Ichigo was confused. He hated when Rukia was acting like this. He only wanted her to be happy. She was his best friend after all… his nakama… "_Oooh! Maybe i will curse myself later for this!" _he shouted mentally, while Byakuya was giving Rukia details about her marriage with Renji.

Ichigo clinched his fists and without facing Byakuya he said:

"I will do it!"

Rukia turned to him surprised.

"I beg your pardon?" Byakuya asked, pretending to be confused.

"I said that… I WILL DO IT!" Ichigo said out loud and clearly, looking into Byakuya's eyes. " I will marry Rukia!"

Hardly surprised, Byakuya asked:

"Should I presume that you changed your mind?"

"Yes, I have!" he snapped, half annoyed of himself, half embarrassed by the whole situation. "If Rukia agrees…"

Both men turned then to Rukia, but her face was red.

"I guess…" she said with a low voice.

Byakuya was ready to state the conclusion of the meeting, but then Ichigo added:

"But I will do it under one condition!"

"And what will that be?" Byakuya questioned.

"I want a ceremony in the human world… not here…" Ichigo answered.

Byakuya frowned:

"It can be arranged, but for that you'll have to accept to attend the engagement party here"

"Settled." Ichigo replied.

"And also, the wedding must be planned as sooner as possible" Byakuya added.

"Four, five months from now?" Ichigo proposed.

"It will be autumn by then… summer time it's better for a wedding reception"

"August, then?" Ichigo aked.

" The first of August?" Byakuya proposed.

"Make it better 15… my sisters are on a cruise until the 5th…"

"15th of August then!" concluded Byakuya. "All charges are on me!"

"Impossible… it's my wedding. I can't have anyone paying for it!"

"I appreciate it, Kurosaki Ichigo, but you do not have the ways to afford a Kuchiki wedding. If you insist, you could take over Rukia's expenses…such as dress, shoes…and so on"

"Settled." Ichigo agreed.

Then an awkward silence fell between them… and Ichigo realized: Was he really going to marry Rukia?

A slight, self pleased smile appeared on Byakuya's lips. He knew that convincing Kurosaki Ichigo wouldn't have been an easy thing to do. For a moment, he even thought he lost him, but the "Renji" recovery proved better than he expected. After all, jealousy is every men's weakest point. He felt relieved. Rukia would be safe with Ichigo, even though he wasn't the ideal brother –in-law he wished for… At least he won't have to marry Rukia now.

Then the silence was broke by nonetheless, the subject of the conversation:

"Excuse me… I think I will retreat to my room…" Rukia said.

Caught in the "wedding planning" discussion, both Ichigo and Byakuya overlooked "the bride" 's opinion in all this. The good news was that she was so shocked that she didn't have an opinion yet… The bad news was that when she will overdraw her state of shock, her reaction toward the people around her, especially toward Ichigo won't be worthy of a loving and carrying future "bride".

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_**So only two months until the wedding. i wonder how the new couple will handle the stress... especially Ichigo... i can already see him having some sleepless nights.**_

**_Anyway until next time, let me know what you think... and don't forget: the more you review, that faster i update :)_**

**_See ya!_**


	3. Operation proposal:failed

_**First of all everyone a big thanks to "Hunterofcomedy" who offered to beta this story, so my english mistakes won't give a hard time anymore. XD**_

_**Second, hi everyone, i'm back with another chapter... i hope this won't disappointing you. I know that lot of you are expecting Isshin's reaction. It's not like i'll overlook it (since he's one of my favorite characters) ... but for this chapter i prepared something else... so let me know what you think.**_

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_**-IchigoMoonCutter - well english mistakes won't be a problem anymore ;)**_

_**-sleeplygirl, yep, actually if Byakuya wouldn't have said that thing about Renji, Ichigo wouldn't have agreed to marry Rukia. Jealousy push people to do crazy things :))**_

_**-pmw928, i reserved other's reaction to this unexpected marriage for the next chapter, but i hope you'll also like this chapter.**_

_**-anon, Rukia was a little submissive. you are right... but that was only because she was in front of Byakuya. Her reaction in front of Ichigo is slight different... read this chapter to find ,more :)**_

_**- rukik504, you said the first chapter was "pretty good", the second " really good"... so i should presume things are getting better and better :).**_

_**-phantom clare, je suis contente que ca te plait... je ne sais pas encore si Ichigo va devenir un shinigami a part entire, mais surement une partie de l'histoire va se passer en Seireitei.**_

_**-Star fire girl 788, i can't believe it... you actually called me " an excellent writer". Thank you!**_

_**-vic, to be honest... i don't have something planned yet (like i did with my others stories)... This story kinda goes with the flow, because like one of the followers said, it has a big potential of have fun by writing it :)**_

_**-Mastermind Minion , so we are both writing a similar story in the same time, haha?**_

_**-hunterofcomedy ... Haha , you are right! But you know what? I've put the "!" on Byakuya's lines by mistake! I will erase them...**_

_**-byakuya7687, ichigo agreed, but with the stress that i see coming i can also picturing him regretting his decision, haha. But i guess is to late for him now. He can't go back.**_

_**-DinieLuvYunho, i don't feel sorry for Orihime either, haha... maybe for Renji... a little...**_

_**-tituslepetitlion, Je comprends que ca te plait plus qu' A frozen ocean of rain... Ce normale, cette nouvelle histoire est legere et amusante (j'espere...), mais pour etre sincere, personellement, j'aime plus A frozen ocean of rain. C'est plutot mon style...(mais "shhh", ca doit rester entre nous) :)**_

_**-LumineNightshade35, you really want for Byakuya to remarry? Hmm... maybe i could do something about it...**_

_**-LyssaIsThatLyssa, Dude... i'm glad you liked it :))**_

_**-falconrukichi... i know you also... from "A frozen ocean of rain" :D. I'm glad you like this new story!**_

_**-Araiae4u, Hi! So you checked this story too! And you liked it! It makes me happy to know that ... honestly :D... Oh and yes, we have an engagement ring prepared too (read to find out more)**_

_**-Kejora, Actually i really try to keep the characters in their canon... i don;'t like them when they're becoming OCC**_

_**-Outer space-alien XV, I'm glad you like it :) I will try to keep up with the fast updates.**_

_**-purplepam, I don't want to discourage you... but i also tried to learn Japanese from watching animes and it didn't work. It's the kanji and hiragana who killed me... and i gave up! . I'm really glad you like this story better**_

_**-annia9semi, at least i'm a fast updater... :) glad you like the story so far**_

_**-Thunder Claw03, actually i haven't though about Ichigo's inner world... until now :). You gave me something to think of...**_

_**-danee, well making them fall in love would be easy. the hardest part will be to make them admit their feelings, haha**_

_**-ren. , you do find this amusing?... thanks :)**_

_**I HOPE THAT ANSWERING TO REVIEWS IN A/N WON'T BOTHER YOU...**_

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_**3. Operation Proposal: Failed**_

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_**Question2: How did you go trough the proposal moment?**_

_**Rukia (nervously): **We didn't!_

_**Ichigo( with resignation): **Actually, we did, but we don't want to remember..._

_._

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_._

Ichigo and Rukia kept staring at each other intensely until slowly their gaze descended to the little box Ichigo was holding. Rukia was visibly nervous, while Ichigo wasn't quite sure of what he was doing.

"So…I'm supposed to lean on one knee?" he asked.

Rukia didn't answer, but her stiffed attitude actually said everything. It was clear that if he made one more wrong gesture she will kick him out of her room for the rest of the night. Ichigo gave it a try though, opening the little box in which a beautiful ring was waiting for its keeper. Then and he doubtfully leaned on his knee…

"Uuuuuuh!" she gasped annoyed and slapped the top of his orange ruffled hair. She turned her back and went to the porch, leaving the poor boy alone, in the classical "marriage proposal" posture.

"What did I do wrong?" he asked intrigued.

She turned to him with an exasperated look.

"Wrong? … Well everything's wrong!" she shouted.

Ichigo frowned, annoyed, and got up on his feet. He was ready to throw her a line like "_Is this the way you're thanking me for stopping you from marrying Byakuya?_" but he knew that those words would have only make her angrier. He gasped in resignation and looked at the ring he was holding.

"Still… you know that you'll have to wear this?" he said while approaching the porch.

She suddenly turned to him with wide, menacing eyes.

"Is this the way you're proposing to me, Ichigo?" she growled.

He froze. Rukia knew how to scare people sometimes.

"I… well, I leaned on my knee earlier…didn't I?..." he tried with a low voice.

"You leaned on your knee and what? You were ready to give a ring only because Nii-sama told you to give me!" she snapped angry.

Ichigo passed a hand over his ruffled hair.

"So it's the ring, now? … You don't like it?" he asked confused.

She blinked, putting on a straight face. It was settled. Ichigo was really dumb. How could he even call that a marriage proposal? She knew that all this was arranged, but it was not like she was getting married every month and receive a marriage proposal every week. Ichigo should have been more sensitive and actually try, even though it wasn't the case, to be a little romantic.

"Just get out!" she snapped.

"And the ring?" he asked.

He froze. She gave him again that death glare.

"Are you that stupid?" she asked.

He frowned, annoyed. That was it! He just had enough of it! He went through all the night, bearing her moods and fopperies. He tried to be understanding, polite, nice, patient… but he was done for it!

"No, Rukia, I'm not stupid!" he snapped. "Or at least, I'm not as stupid as you think! Weren't you in the study this afternoon too, and agreed to this marriage? Now you're acting as if you don't want it anymore!" he snapped.

Her eyes widened.

"If you didn't want it you should have say so!" he continued. "… Instead of being silent and agree to everything Byakuya was saying, you could have stand up and stated your case!"

"I couldn't just—" she hissed.

"You couldn't what? Raise your chin and speak your mind? You're doing it pretty easy when you're around me!"

"I couldn't just start to yell in front of Nii-sama. No one could! Not even you! He was thinking of what is best for both of us and I have no other way but to trust him!" she riposted, her face slowly turning red from anger.

"He is not the only one who wishes you the best, you know?" he replied, this time with a serious and calm voice.

Her upper lip startled. That line just closed her mouth.

"Oooh! Just forget it!" he snapped annoyed and left the porch, returning to her room.

"Fine!" she replied following him and taking the little jewelry box from his hand. "I'll wear the ring…but only because Nii-sama wishes me to wear it! It's not because of your failed marriage proposal!"

"What?" he stated making a weary face. "What failed…? Really Rukia! It was Byakuya who actually proposed _me_to marry _you_! I don't know what you were expecting after that…"

Her face reddened deeper.

"You don't get it, don't you?" she said with a pouted air that made her look like a little child left with no sweets for its birthday. Yes, she was cute. He had to admit it, but he was not getting anything from what she was saying. What kind of proposal was she actually expecting?

"Well… I did lean on my knees… at least I tried…" he defended himself.

"Well, maybe I don't like leaning on a knee proposals!" she snapped and crossed her arms.

"Then what do you like?!" he yelled exasperated. She widened her eyes, intrigued by his suddenly rise of voice. So in order to not awake the little monster inside her, he took a deep breath and calmed himself.

"Look…" he began, "I'll take the ring back, come back tomorrow and do it properly… just tell me how you want it… just tell me, what do you want, Rukia?"

Rukia's eyes descend to the jewelry's box she was now holding. Something ached inside of her, bringing upon her an unexplainable soreness.

"I want it… to be real…" she whispered.

He frowned.

"What do you mean by real, Rukia?… It's not like we're playing or… I mean, even the ceremony date has been settled…" he replied.

"No, Ichigo… this is not real!" she contradicted him angrily. " You don't love me… you don't want to marry me!"

And after she said that, she gasped and bowed her head in order to hide her pitiful expression. Maybe she wasn't pitiful, but that was the way she was seeing herself. What Ichigo saw, was an imagine closer to reality: A girl who's been unlucky enough to be adopted into a noble family, but who was nonetheless beautiful and strong… Strong enough to fight all the hardships of life on her own… Strong enough make the rain stop. He would have never admitted it in front of her, but he was strongly admiring her for all that she was.

Even though he was supposed to make no preferences, among all his friends and acquaintances, she was the one he was most fond of. That is why, for her, he would have been able to do anything, even go through an arranged, loveless marriage. He knew that if it would have been someone else in her place… Inoue, for example, he would have never accepted this marriage. Even though he risked his life to save both Rukia and Inoue, Rukia was to remain his weakness. He couldn't explain why, but she was the only one who succeeded in crossing the line he put between himself and the rest of the world.

Now that he was seeing her sad, he felt like her sadness was falling upon him also. Of course she would have wanted a real proposal! Of course she would have wanted to marry someone she loved… He understood her. He really did and that's why he wished to comfort her. For the first time in years he started to approach her with the intention of embracing her…

"But that's it!" she suddenly said categorically. "I'm not going become depressed because of this!" and rising her chin, she violently crossed her arms, hitting poor Ichigo by mistake, who tried hug her.

"Fuck!..." mumbled Ichigo, while holding his almost broke nose. He suddenly remembered the reason why he didn't hugged Rukia often: he was always ending up bleeding.

"I am a strong woman! A shinigami, after all! Even a lieutenant!" she continued proudly and untroubled by the wound she caused to Ichigo. "I survived an execution… the winter war and the one thousand years war! A marriage should be piece of cake for me! Especially with you, Ichigo!... I mean, think about it! It could have been worse… It could have been an arranged marriage with a complete stranger, right Ichigo?"

"Yeah… I guess so…" he replied still bothered by his injured nose.

"That's why I will look at the bright side of the things! A marriage, after all, is not the end of the world!" she concluded with a cheerful smile. "Good! Now that we've settled this and cleared my mind I can finally get some rest!"

She turned her back on Ichigo and threw herself on the diagonal of her futon.

"Good night, Ichigo!" she said with a yawn.

"We're going to bed already?" he asked.

"No, Ichigo…I'm going to bed… you can do whatever you want." she replied.

"Well, there isn't much left to do if you are turning off the lights and sleeping." he said while approaching the futon. "At least move aside… you left me no space to lay down…"

On his last words, she suddenly got up.

"Ichigo, what do you think you're doing?"

He cocked an eyebrow sarcastically:

"The same as you: sleep"

"And where do you intend to do that?" she asked with a definitely not pleased voice.

"Well, don't expect me to sleep on the floor!" he snapped.

"Actually I don't expect you to sleep in this room at all!" she riposted.

"What?!" he shouted.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have two futons nor a closet big enough for you to fit in!" she added nervously.

"What the…!" he swore. "This is how I was supposed to act when you made yourself at home in my room?"

"Ichigo, that was not your room, it was your closet… and I was doing it because your house was small and there was no empty room where I could sleep. But the Kuchiki manor is different. You have dozens of empty rooms to sleep in!" Rukia replied stuffily.

"It may be dozens of rooms, but Byakuya didn't mention to have actually prepared one for me…" he riposted.

"Well … I honestly don't care about that!" she said while she got up from the futon and started to push to the door. "Just go and find one… ask the servants! The will surely help you!"

"What? Wait! And the ring?" she said while he was forcedly pushed outside the room.

"I told you… I'll wear it! Nice proposal! I'll accept it! Let's meet again in front of the altar! I'll wear a nice dress, I promise! Now, good night, Ichigo!" she concluded and closed the door, leaving him alone in the dark hall way.

"_How dare he?"_ Rukia mumbled nervously. "_Were not even married and he thinks of sharing the…"_

But she didn't get the chance to finish the sentence. She returned to her futon and rapidly fell asleep… after a day like that, she was exhausted.

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Now he was arguing with Rukia and thirty seconds later, Ichigo was finding himself alone on the hallway. He was prepared to knock on her door again when someone appeared on his left holding a hand lamp. Taken by surprise, he startled, scared to death, because the pale light on that emotionless face made that person look like a ghost:

"Should I lead you to your room, Kurosaki-sama?"

Ichigo blinked confused until he realized that it was just a servant who actually waited for him all this time. Leaving Rukia's room behind, he silently followed the man.

'_So Byakuya did prepare a room for me'_ he stated mentally. It was a strange thing though. He was staying under the same roof with his fiancé and he was compelled to sleep in separated rooms. But of course, the strangest thing of the day remained that his fiancé…wasn't actually a fiancé. In front of that, everything else seemed worthless.

He entered the room that has been prepared for him and looked around absently. The same as Rukia after a day like that he was exhausted. He put himself in bed and closed his eyes, but the image of him leaning on one knee along with her words kept appearing in his mind.

_"I want it to be real."_

He started to wonder if that "leaning on one knee" thing made her that mad…She seemed to be alright, until he did that. Or maybe, she didn't like the ring, after all… Or maybe the whole proposal thing was unnecessary in this situation. Yes… it was the proposal! It only made things worse! This was a marriage made for appearances only! They already had to act in front of the others… so why would he also act in front of her? Actually, why did he make the proposal in the first place? Oh, yes! He remembered now! Byakuya!

_After Rukia left, an awkward silent fell in Byakuya's study. Ichigo waited uncomfortably for a couple of minutes, but his future brother-in-law did not give any sign of starting a conversation. In order to chase away that bothersome silence, he tried something like…_

"_So… we'll be family from now on…"_

_Byakuya fixed his grey eyes on him, but on his face, no emotion could transpire._

"_It appears so…" he replied impartially. "That is why we should drop the courtesy and be honest with each other."_

"_Well…" Ichigo began unsure._

"_I don't like you." Byakuya went ahead and stated emotionless._

_Ichigo froze with a tangled smile upon his face and his right hand at the back of his head._

"_That's was quite forward…" he commented._

"_It is not something personal, Kurosaki…"Byakuya added impartially. "Its the fact that you are unmannered and you have no respect for the rules or for your elders…you always speak too loud and you do not seem to understand when you need to remain silent. Moreover you have a bad influence on Rukia by making her act violently every time she sees you."_

_Ichigo tried to smile. He didn't know what Byakuya meant by "personal" but this was obviously "way too personal" from his point of view._

"_Of course, if these issues could be fixed I would have nothing against you," Byakuya continued in the same manner. "But we both know that my personal desires toward you are an inconclusive utopia, while the reality shows us that you will never change."_

_He poured himself another cup of green tea and concluded:_

"_In other words, you are hopeless and my efforts in order to teach the good manners would be useless."_

_With this, Ichigo's last attempts to smile politely, failed._

"_However…" Byakuya said after he took a gulp from his tea. "This doesn't mean I hate you… I haven't forgotten that Rukia is alive because of you, and I did not forget to whom Soul Society owes the fact that it still stands strong."_

_Ichigo cocked his eyebrows surprised. After the cold shoulder he gave him earlier, now he was he actually praising him?_

"_So this means… we'll be in good terms from now on?" Ichigo tried._

"_I expect nothing less" Byakuya replied and Ichigo thought that for a second he saw a slight smile on his thin lips. He wasn't sure of that though, because Byakuya immediately got up from his desk and approach the library. There he looked for a second at his late wife's picture and then he put it aside, taking a little jewelry box from the back of the stack._

"_This belonged to Hisana, it belonged to my mother and her mother before her… Now Rukia will wear it…"_

_Ichigo stared at the gorgeous ring inside the box._

"_You will give this to her…" added Byakuya. "In a proper way…"_

_Ichigo frowned._

"_You mean as it would be an engagement ring?"_

_Byakuya retook his place at the desk._

"_Perhaps, I didn't make myself clear, Ichigo" he said, addressing him by his first name only, a broad hint to his intention of approaching his future brother-in-law. "I expect for Rukia to be happy in this marriage. I may be a distant person, but I'm not an ignorant one. I know much this event is troubling her, so you will do anything in order to make things easier for her."_

_Ichigo took the ring and got up on his feet with an uneasy air._

"_But a proposal… isn't it improper in this situation?"_

"_You will do anything a man must to for his fiancé, even though this marriage is an arranged one." Byakuya concluded with a hint of coldness in his voice, making Ichigo understand that this was his final position._

_Ichigo gasped and headed to the door. For him, Byakuya looked rather final with his words, but surprisingly, before he closes the door, Byakuya added one more thing:_

"_You are not a noble and above all you are half-human… yet for a certain reason I decided to overlook these aspects…Do you want to know, Ichigo, why among all I chose you to be Rukia's husband?"_

_That caught his attention and made him stop in the threshold for a second._

"_You and Rukia share a connection beyond your natures… sometimes this can be stronger and more useful than an evanescent, occasionally cunning, romantic feeling… sometimes it can even lead to true love."_

_Ichigo frowned confused._

"_Remember my words, Ichigo… because you will thank me someday…"_

"Thank you, my ass!" Ichigo growled in the loneliness of the room, with his face buried in the pillow. "So far your ideas have proved to be a disaster."

But Ichigo was tired. He did now want to think about all this anymore. If he did, he'd get insomnia… and he needed rest more than anything because tomorrow he'll have to go back home…with Rukia… to announce to his family that he will marry her…

…On August…

…The 15th…

Ichigo's eyes widened scared! That was in less than two months!

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_**So... write me a review and let me know what you think. Remember: the more you review, that faster i update.**_

_**PS: Daca sunteti romani care urmariti aceasta poveste, faceti-va simtita prezenta :D. Sunt chiar curioasa**_


	4. Operation telling family: success

_**Back with the so requested Isshin's reaction! It's a long chapter... i hope you'll have fun with it!**_

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_**-pmw928, thank you for your review!**_

_**-Ru-tamai i update fast becuase writing is like a drogue for me... yes i know, is strange, but it's really an addiction.  
**_

_**-danee, yes something was Occ about Nii-sama on the beginning. I'm glad is solved. :)**_

_**-sleeplygirl, yep... Byakuya knows something the Rukia and Ichigo doesn't know yet... that they'll eventually fall in love.**_

_**-IchigoMoonCutter, Haha, rigth! next step to a trouble filled relation, handling a loonatic father/ father-in-law.**_

_**-falconrukichi, yers i really want Ichigo and Byakuya to get along, of course in the limit of which Byakuya could get along with someone. And yes, this will be a lot cheerful than "A frozen ocean of rain"**_

_**-Pancakes, glad you found no "puking rainbows". I try to avoid rainbows... i really do! they're just... boring.**_

_**-lone ruler , yep, you are right, i should have used past tense. (sometimes (often) i do mistakes even thought i know well the theory and the grammar rules)**_

_**-purplepam Isn't it Byakuya the best? (i'm so glad that he survived in the manga)**_

_**-Phantom clare, merci beaucoup :)**_

_**-LyssaIsThatLyssa, wow... it makes me happy to know that you find this really well written.**_

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_**4. Operation Telling the Family: Success**_

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_**Question 3:**_ _How did your family react on your sudden engagement?_

_**Rukia: **__Isshin was pretty excited I remember he cried a lot. Of course that happened was after we got over that little misunderstanding with the balloons…We almost started a fight because of that._

_**Ichigo:**__I remember we ate curry that evening…_

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Isshin was standing at a table in front of Urahara with an intense and thoughtfully expression. He was nervously hitting the table with his left fingers, while rubbing his chin with the right ones:

"One again!" he suddenly said to Urahara. "Read it to me once again!"

Calmly, Urahara leaned his gaze on what seemed to be a flash telegram from Seireitei and started to read aloud:

"I'm coming home tonight. STOP. I will not be alone. STOP. Ask Yuzu to cook that curry Rukia likes. STOP. And also put an extra futon in my room. STOP. Do not ask why. STOP. I will explain when I get home. STOP. Please, behave yourself when I arrive. STOP"

When Urahara finished reading, Isshin frowned with a serious glare:

"And you are sure that everything is alright in Seireitei… no hollows, no enemies."

"Only nice weather and peaceful times, as far as I know." Urahara replied.

"And Rukia also hasn't been assigned here with a mission, you say…" Isshin said.

"Not from my knowledge…"Urahara answered.

Isshin looked once again intensely at Urahara…and then he suddenly got up from the table with an ecstatic expression and hugged Urahara:

"Oh! Thank you! Thank you so much! Masaki, I thought this day would never come!"

Then as suddenly as he hugged him, he also pushed him away, heading to the door:

"Sorry, I must leave now! There's so much to do home! Oh, that curry! I hope Yuzu is home!"

And he disappeared from Urahara's shop, leaving ex captain of the 12th Division with a perplex expression on his face.

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Half an hour later, at the Kurosaki residence, Isshin was convoking an urgent family meeting.

"Are you sure, dad?" Yuzu asked.

"Positive!" the father shouted. "Urahara read me the telegram twice!"

Karin frowned doubtfully:

"I'm sure you're misunderstanding his words…" she stated, "Ichi-nii wouldn't say something like that through a telegram."

Isshin turned to his daughter with a cocked eyebrow:

"Are you implying that you don't trust your father's words?"

"Yes" Karin replied confidently.

Instantly, Isshin slapped his head on the table and started to cry loudly. Ignoring his mumbling among which only the words: "Masaki", "daughter" and "ungrateful" could he understood, Yuzu approached her sister with a worried expression:

"I also find it a little strange…"

"I told you, he's delusional! He only understands what he wants to understand!" Karin replied.

"Still… that doesn't mean Rukia isn't coming… I think I'll better start cooking…"

Hearing Yuzu's words, Isshin suddenly got up:

"Finally, someone who believes me!" he shouted and then, coming to his senses he pointed his index finger at Karin: "We have no much time left! We must split the tasks! You, Karin, will immediately go to the amusement park and buy helium balloons…As much as you can carry! Pay attention to get that type with the 'Congratulations For Your Baby' message on them!"

Far from being enthusiastic about it, Karin got up from the table and headed to the entrance door in order to put her shoes on.

"You know that Ichi-nii will kill you if you're wrong about this."

"IF I am wrong about this!" Isshin pointed with a smirk. "Now hurry!"

Then he turned to Yuzu, but as she was already gathering the ingredients for her curry, he knew that his instructions were futile.

"But what about you, dad?" Yuzu suddenly asked. "What's your task?"

On that question, Isshin grinned, self pleased with the plan he made in his mind:

"I, my daughter, will go and clear my bank account in order to buy a luxurious, king size bed for Ichigo's room!

.

* * *

.

"Are you sure about this?" Rukia asked.

"About what?" Ichigo asked while he was waiting on the hallway in front of the Kuchiki Elders's Council room.

"About what you wrote in the telegram…" Rukia answered.

Meanwhile behind the closed doors of the council, some intense arguing could be heard along with some menacing voices rising up from time to time.

"What … you preferred something else instead of curry?" Ichigo asked.

"No!" she replied annoyed. "I was not referring to the curry part … but to the "adding an extra futon to your room" one. You know I can sleep in Yuzu and Karin's room…"

Behind the closed doors the arguing was slowly turning into a fight.

"Well Rukia…" Ichigo said. "Unlike you, I'm not going to kick people out of my room in the middle of the night just because I don't have a closet that fits them in or an extra futon. Apparently, I have them both so it's up to you choosing whatever you like… Moreover, it would be stupid for you, as my fiancé, to sleep in my sister's room."

Rukia's eyes widened and she suddenly blushed, as she heard herself called by Ichigo, "Fiancé".

"If we are really going to do this, I believe we should also act in concordance with the roles we're playing… If you will sleep in my sister's room, everyone will know that is something fishy about this marriage" Ichigo added, without noticing the blush on Rukia's cheeks. His eyes were turned to the closed door of the Council room where apparently, the fight became pretty serious and everyone was shouting.

"Are they really ok in there?" he asked.

Rukia gasped.

"I don't know, but I really hope that Nii-sama will end this soon since—", but she didn't finished her sentence because someone violently opened the door and exited the Council's room, while shouting: "Outrageous!" The man was immediately followed by others, as angry as the first one. From that Ichigo and Rukia concluded that the Elder's meeting had ended.

"This is beyond imagination!" the first Elder snapped. "If only Ginrei was alive! If only your father would have been alive, Byakuya!" he shouted and for a second he turned his eyes to the room he left behind.

"Don't you think you're taking it all too serious, Katsuya?" another elder replied.

"Of course, I'm taking it serious! A Kuchiki marrying a human! A HUMAN!" he yelled exasperated and then he turned to the other elder. Instantly his face transfigured with repulsion. "Goroza Ryoin! I should have imagined! Of course you'll agree with this marriage since you daughter is living in the human world!"

"My Haruna living in the human world has nothing to do with this!" Goroza Ryoin replied with boredom. "You're just obsessed with marrying Byakuya with his sister!"

"Excuse me, if I am preoccupied with the future of this clan… or more precisely with the lack of future, since we have NO PUREBLOOD HEIR!" Katsuya yelled.

"If we need so much a pureblood heir, why don't we get this Haruna Ryoing back in Seireitei… She used to be engaged with Byakuya when they were young, right?" another elder made himself heard among the crowed.

"But for that we must find Haruna first! And she must be available!" another one replied while laughing. "I heard she married like four times… in less than 50 years!"

On that last comment Goroza Ryoing suddenly turned to the crowd:

"What did you say about my daughter?!" he growled with his face turned red from anger.

But Katsuya left behind the other elders and their usual quarrels, approaching furiously Rukia and Ichigo:

"You!" he hissed starring at Rukia. "You are a disappointment! I had big expectations from you…but I guess that not in a century … or a millennium of living among the nobles, your filthy Rukongai origins could not be erased!"

"I won't allow you to speak in that way to my fiancé!"Ichigo intervened sternly as he got up from the bench he was sitting along with Rukia.

"And YOU!" Katsuya growled looking at Ichigo's orange hair with disgust. "Central 46 should have executed you before you were born! A human becoming a shinigami! OUTRAGEOUS!" he yelled and left the couple behind heading himself to the exit.

Ichigo then turned to Rukia with a worried expression:

"Are you aright? I'm sorry for what that man said…"

But Rukia didn't seem alright…and it wasn't because of Katsuya's words. Ichigo had called her his "fiancé" for the second time that day and each time he seemed pretty serious… maybe a little too serious for a marriage planned only for appearances.

"Finally!" Ichigo stated looking at the threshold of the Council's room, where Byakuya appeared. Ichigo, followed by Rukia approached him.

"So, how did that go?" Ichigo asked.

Byakuya looked at the multitude of elders who were slowly leaving the building.

"Both sides declared their position, but unfortunately not everybody can be pleased," he replied.

Ichigo frowned confused. For him Byakuya's words were as vague as an old Greek poem. '_Nobles_!' he stated with resignation and turned to Rukia waiting for the translation of her brother's words.

"Does that mean that Nii-sama and I don't have to…get married anymore?" Rukia asked.

"Indeed," Byakuya replied.

And that was all that Ichigo needed to know.

"Now we can go back to Karakura, right?" he asked.

"The sooner the better…" Byakuya answered.

"Let's go then, Rukia! Yuzu's curry must be already waiting for us!"

.

* * *

.

Isshin was standing outside of his house encountering the truck from the furniture company. Isshin's eyes were sparkling with enthusiasm while he was giving "precise" indications to the workers who were unloading a huge bed. His enthusiasm vanished though, when, on the first floor of the house, from Ichigo's room window, Karin asked:

"And how do you expect to get _that_ in _here_?"

Both Isshin and the worker looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.

"We could try trough the window?" the worker proposed.

Karin rolled her eyes.

.

* * *

.

The rest of the day passed to Ichigo and Rukia in an alert rhythm. Even though they thought they could immediately head to Karakura, Rukia had to remain at the home and compose her wedding trousseau from the Kuchiki treasury, while Ichigo had to follow Byakuya all around Seireitei in order to meet people and sign papers of which purpose he didn't even understand.

It was already dark when they arrived in Karakura. They were both were walking side by side on the main street that led to the Kurosaki residence, when Rukia suddenly stopped.

"What?" Ichigo asked.

Rukia looked at him intensively, but speechless.

"Rukia, we're already late…and you know my father…" he said losing his patience.

She bit her lips.

"Is my dress looking nice?" she asked.

His eyes widened troubled.

"What?"

"Don't 'what' me!" she snapped nervously. "This is important… I must look my best and something is telling me this dress is too…simple!"

Ichigo looked at her pink summer dress, long till her knees. It was a normal dress that he knew since high school. He frowned, confused because he didn't quite understand the concept of "too simple". No matter what she'd wear, for him she will be the same Rukia. Clothes were just… not important.

"Well… you look nice" he tried not sure if those words were the right ones and surprisingly her eyes instantly started to sparkle with enthusiasm.

"You mean like… really nice?" she asked joyfully.

"Extremely," he lied. "Now, can we hurry, please?"

She approached him with quick steps and smiled relieved.

"I'm glad, Ichigo…because at least _I_ want to make a good impression".

Ichigo cocked his eyebrows.

"In front of who? My dad?! …Come on' Rukia!...It's just… my dad… you know him!"

She replied him an intense glare:

"Ichigo… this time is different…you and I, we are…" but here she stopped and took a deep breath. "Well, we're already here…"

Ichigo turned his gaze and noticed that they were already in front of his house. He also noticed that there was no light on inside or outside the house. He approached the door and rang it once. No answer…Ichigo rang again.

"Maybe you shouldn't be that insistent…" she said with a low, unsure voice as if she wasn't actually looking forward to the moment when someone will actually answer the door. Ichigo turned to her surprised:

"Rukia, don't tell me you're actually nervous about this…"

Her cheeks slightly blushed.

"Well, aren't you also?" she replied with a slight reproach in her voice.

He smiled without saying a word, took her small hand and held it.

"You're with me… there's nothing to worry about…"

Her eyes widened and she starred at him for a couple of seconds. Her cheeks turned hot and she didn't know if it was due to Ichigo's comforting voice or the fact that he was holding her hand.

"It's my family we're talking about here!" He added cheerfully, not noticing her spacing out moment. "I know how to handle them!"

And after he said that he rang the door once more. Since again, no reply came, he approached a window and tried to look inside: it all seemed peaceful and quiet. "Don't tell me these guys were out for the week-end and they didn't read the telegram…" Ichigo said while he turned to Rukia.

"It appears that we are home alone…" he added and leaned over the welcome rug under which the extra key was hidden. He opened the door and they both entered in the dark quiet house.

Ichigo turned on the lights on the hall way, while both of them put away their shoes.

"Are you hungry?" Ichigo asked.

"No , not really…" Rukia replied. "A little thirsty maybe…"

"Ok, I'll go get you a glass of water…" he said while heading to the kitchen and Rukia followed him.

They both entered the kitchen calmly and relaxed. Ichigo was turning on the lights and Rukia was preparing to tell him that she would water from the fridge, when they both had a heart attack:

"SURPRIZE!"

Ichigo startled scared, while Rukia backed off a two steps. It took them a couple of seconds to process the scene they were witnessing: In front of them, the three Kurosaki's were popping confetti in a kitchen filled with balloons.

"CONTRATULATIONS! You both made this poor man the happiest grandfather in the world!" Isshin shouted.

And then Rukia and Ichigo noticed the message wrote on the balloons: 'Best Mommy In The World', 'Congratulations For Your Baby', 'Is It A Boy?' and their faces turned violet. Overcoming her shock, Rukia instantly came to her senses and turned to Ichigo:

"What did you actually write in that telegram?!" she yelled as she kicked him to the floor.

Ichigo, though immediately got up and turned to his father angrily:

"Yeah! Tell me old men, what did you not understand from that telegram?!" he shouted.

Isshin's eyes widened.

"I knew it!" Karin suddenly snapped crossing her arms. "So, there's no baby."

"She's not pregnant?" Isshin asked with deathly glare, as if his life was hanging on a positive answer.

"No, I'm not!" Rukia immediately replied, half angry, half embarrassed.

"I told you!" Karin snapped toward Yuzu.

"How could you even think of that?" Ichigo shouted to his father. "Rukia and I haven't seen each other in months!"

"And we never dat—" She wanted to add but Ichigo immediately stepped on her foot making her to swallow her words. He knew how difficult would be to explain his family why is he's marrying Rukia if she will tell them that he actually never "dated" her. Rukia turned to him with a furious glare, but when she understood the mistake she was about to make, she remained silent.

"Dad, you're delusional…"Karin concluded and then turned to Ichigo and Rukia: "Guys, I'm sorry for this… I tried to stop him from doing it, since I also found it strange that Ichi-nii would announce us trough a telegram that he will become a father…"

"What?!" Ichigo shouted. "I never said that! I only asked Yuzu to cook curry and…"

"And put an extra futon in your room for Rukia!" Isshin snapped almost crying.

"So it's the extra futon!" Rukia intervened adopting the classical Kurosaki snapping style. "I told you this morning that it would be a bad idea! BAD IDEA!"

"It's not the futon!" Ichigo riposted annoyed and then turned again to his father. "You, are crazy! I don't even understand how you arrived at the conclusion that Rukia is…aaah!" he growled, scratching his head nervously. "I didn't even spell the word _baby_ in the telegram!"

"It was a logical presumption!" Isshin replied in defense. "Why else would you suddenly bring Rukia home to diner and ask her to sleep in your room, when she hasn't even been assigned with a mission here?!"

Ichigo turned to his sisters exasperated, asking them if their father was really meaning the words he was saying.

"Don't mind him; I strongly believe he's alienated…" Karin said.

"So, there's no baby?" Yuzu asked with a slight disappointment in her voice.

"NO!" Both Ichigo and Rukia replied at the same time.

Isshin started to cry on their categorical answer while Yuzu gasped thinking of how she really wanted to become an aunt.

"You're embarrassing the Kurosaki name…" Karin said while looking at Isshin, crying with his face on the table. On those words, Isshin raise his head and faced her morosely:

"Ichigo is the one who is embarrassing the Kurosaki name… by not being able to make Rukia his girl friend after all these years!"

Rukia froze.

"Look at her! She is perfect!" he insisted. "But no! Ichigo has to be dumb! DUMB!"

Ichigo and Rukia exchanged some worried looks.

"Ichigo… I'm denying you as my son, until you are coming back to this house and tell me that you proposed to Rukia!" Isshin added upset.

Ichigo and Rukia's eyes widened and suddenly both of them lost any eagerness to speak.

"I refuse to believe that my son can be that stupid and that blind! Rukia, please do something about him!"

"Dad… I think that's enough…"Karin intervened soberly.

But in that moment Ichigo took a step forward and after he looked at Rukia he said:

"_Actually_…"

Everyone turned to him curiously since for the first time that night his voice was calm and somehow nervous.

"Actually…" he repeated tensely, "Rukia and I…"

Isshin's eyes widened as if he was one step away from winning the lottery.

"Rukia and I…are getting married!" Ichigo finally said it, trying to add a cheerful smile at the end of the sentence.

A moment of silence passed in which everyone tried to process the news and then Isshin flew on Ichigo's and Rukia's throats suffocating them with his hug.

"That's my son! That's my daughter! I knew it! I knew you were gonna say that! You gave me the creeps one moment ago, but I forgive you now! Oh, my children!" Isshin cried with crocodile tears, while the couple was trying to break away from his hug.

Yuzu smiled cheerfully while watching them.

"I guess we didn't buy the confetti for nothing…" she said.

"I'm curious about the look on their faces when they see the bed…" Karin added.

Yuzu chuckled and took the curry from the baker starting to serve it on plates.

.

* * *

.

"I'd say the Riviera…Is the best restaurant in town… you can easily get 100 people in there." Isshin said.

"I believe that more than 100 guests will be only from Nii-sama's side… We need a bigger place." Rukia replied.

"A tent?" Isshin proposed.

"Nii-sama would never agree." she replied.

It appeared that after everyone got over Isshin's misunderstanding about Ichigo's and Rukia's engagement, the father and his, now official, third daughter started to get along pretty well. For more than an hour they were discussing the organization of the wedding reception. Both of them had a serious and concentrated mien, while Ichigo was bored, thinking of the moment he will go to his room, lay on his bed… and sleep. Karin was somehow sharing her brother's opinion, since the wedding dresses and the reception's menu weren't actually fascinating her. Yuzu, though, was quite the opposite of her sister. She liked listening to Rukia and her father and sometimes would even intervening in to their discussion.

For a couple of minutes though, her attention was concentrated on the beautiful ring her future sister-in-law was wearing:

"Is that the engagement ring?" she asked.

"Y-Yes…" Rukia answered.

Yuzu smiled.

"And how did Onii-chan proposed to you?" she asked.

"He… he leaned on his knee…"Rukia said with a tangled smile.

On that answer, Karin woke up from her apathy.

"Did Ichi-nii do that? I can't picture him in that posture… and did he say some cheesy lines?" she asked.

Rukia started to laugh, prepared to tell them how all actually happened but then she met Ichigo's unease air and her laugh suddenly ceased.

"Yes, he did…" she lied while her eyes were fixed on Ichigo's.

"He said that I saved him, even though he's the one I owe my life… He said that meeting me was the best thing that happened to him and that he is happy when he's around me. Then he added that he is a hopeless and selfish person who wishes to be happy all the time and who he can't be like that unless he has me around him all the time. He told me that he is not perfect… that sometimes he can be stupid and have a hot temper, but he also added that he will spend the rest of his life trying to make me as happy as I made him…"

Everyone at the table was starring at Rukia with a dreamy expression, all mesmerized by her story…everyone except Ichigo. He was suddenly taken over by a feeling of guilt. He listened to Rukia's words and felt like in the depth of her heart she wished to hear them all directly from his mouth. Now he really wished he would have spoken them the other night, instead that stupid line:

_"So… am I supposed to lean on one knee?"_

"I still can't believe that you and Ichi-nii are getting married!" Karin said cutting that dreamy atmosphere. "I mean I know you were both close, but you never let us believe that you were something more than best friends… except, of course, from dad, but he was more imagining things than actually seeing them…I wonder for how long have you actually been…together."

Rukia turned to Karin with the same tangled smile and simply answered:

"Since… always…"

Ichigo's eyes widened.

"But we couldn't have let the others know, until Nii-sama would have approved…" Rukia added.

"So that's why you went to Seireitei this week-end!" Isshin concluded looking at Ichigo.

But Ichigo only smiled.

"I think it's late … Ichigo must be tired…" Rukia said trying to change the topic, so Ichigo won't be have to invent more lies than she already did.

"We all are! We can also plan the wedding tomorrow. Now we should all go to bed!" Karin said.

Isshin's eyes suddenly sparkled.

"Speaking of bed!" he said.

.

* * *

.

Ichigo, Rukia and Isshin were starring at the monstrously big bed put in Ichigo's room.

"What happened to the old one?" Ichigo asked displeased.

"Trash!" Isshin replied cheerfully.

"What happened to the closet?" Rukia asked worried.

"I put it in my room since I had no place for the bed…Oh, this is wonderful! I'll let the two of you try it now! Good night, my lovey-dovey children!" he said and closed the door behind him.

A couple of seconds later after they remained alone, Rukia asked:

"What did he mean by "trying the bed"?

"Sleep… I hope…" Ichigo asked unsure.

"You mean… together?" she asked tensely.

"I don't think we have a choice…The closet is…gone."

Rukia took a deep breath and made the decision to remain calm.

"I'll go take a shower" she said.

.

* * *

.

"Now what?" Rukia asked as she stood next to the bed.

"Now, we sleep, Rukia!" Ichigo answered categorically.

"How? she asked.

He frowned confused.

"Well... we put ourselves in bed and..." he tried.

"Ok! I'll take this side of the bed!" she cut in with a bossy air, taking the side from the window." You take the other one!" then with her hand she crossed an invisible line on the the middle of the bed. "And you will not cross this line! If you do, then you'll sleep on the floor and i'll take the bed for myself!"

Ichigo starred at Rukia with a straight face as she was doing the "military instruction with him". She took a deep breath, pleased of the solution she found and put herself in bed.

"Good night, Ichigo!"

Ichigo remained alone in the middle of the room with a stupid look upon his face. He never really thought how things would be when he will get married, but he certainly didn't imagine his fiance crossing limit lines on their bed... Actually he never imagined himself marrying Rukia...

.

* * *

.

Ichigo put himself in bed and only when he felt the soft pillow under his head he understood how tired he was. How he loved the moment when he was almost asleep… his body was numbed…his eyelids were heavy and all around him was calm and quiet…

"Ichigo, do you know this is actually the first time we slept together?"

And that was for his peaceful sleep, he concluded. He opened his eyes.

"Yes, Rukia… it's the first time" he said sternly.

Another couple of minutes passed in silence and he guessed that she decided to sleep also. He slowly closed his eyes, prepared to lean into the world of dreams.

"Ichigo… are we really getting married?"

He gasped. The world of dreams apparently must still wait.

"Yes, Rukia…we are really getting married."

"And what this 'getting married' actually means?" she insisted.

On those words he suddenly turned to her for a second, since they were both sleeping on their half of the bed with their gaze turned in different directions.

"Rukia…I honestly don't know…and I don't think we will know until we will actually get married. Now, can we please sleep? Because tomorrow we have to pick that damn restaurant and I'm sure that dad and Byakuya's pretensions will give us a hard time!"

Rukia didn't say anything more. Ichigo guessed that she must have been pouted because of his last words, but he honestly didn't care. He just wanted to sleep.

Unfortunately, after that episode he couldn't close his eyes anymore. Of course Rukia had immediately fall asleep, but his eyes were wide opened. He must have starred at the shadows on the ceiling for more than an hour… and then, at a certain point he turned his gaze to Rukia, who was now sleeping with her face turned to his side of the bed, almost crossing the line she traced.

She looked like a child when she was asleep, he thought. She looked beautiful…

And then a strange impulse took over his body causing his arm to move in her direction for a second. Then, he remembered that it was dark and that no one knew… not even her. He slowly approached her… and put his arm around her.

He didn't know why he did that but after he did it, he instantly fall asleep, leaning into one of the most restful sleeps.

* * *

_**I wonder haw many of you noticed Nene-cha ( Miss Haruna Ryoin) ...I don't really plan to add her here, but If it comes to a fanfiction, my option is that (apart from Rukia) there won't be person to mach Byakuya better then her. So think about it...**_

**_Anyway... let me know what you think! Good opinions, bad opinions, spit it out! _**

**_Remember the more you review, the faster i update!_**

**_PS: Daca mai sunteti romani care treceti pe aici , faceti-va simtita prezenta! Cius!_**


	5. Operation Telling friends: succes

_**Hi, i was a little busy this week, that's why i didn't update. But anyway, here's the newest chapter.**_

_**-IchigoMoonCutter, i plan more sweet moments for Ichigo and Rukia**_

_**-Outer space-alien XV , **__**thank you for your review**_

_**- LyssaIsThatLyssa, thank you, i really try to avoid cliches**_

_**-Guest, thank you, i'm trying lead them into slowly discovering feelings that were present in their hearts since... forvever, i guess.**_

_**-danee, i could do another pairing in this story. I'm thinking something for Byakuya. Do you have somthing else in your mind?**_

_**-lone ruler, i think isshin missunderstanding things is quite typical for him. At least he get a good news with the Ichigo and Rukia's engagement... he didn't bought the "king size bed for nothing"**_

_**-Thunder Claw03, conerning Ichigo and Rukia's friends' reactions. You have them all in this chapter.**_

_**-DinieLuvYunho, yep usually i'm a fast updater, but this week i was kind of busy. Concerning Ichigo's proposal maybe he'll do somthing about that, later, hehe... And Haruna, i'm still thinking about her, since she's quite a complicated character... so, you still have a change with Byakuya, haha :)**_

_**-anon, "Ishin, with his illogical leaps of thought" haha, I really loved this. You perfectly described Isshin in one sentence!**_

_**-Ru-tama, i'm glad you like it. let me know what you think about this chapter also.**_

_**-sai, I'm really curious what made you hate Haruna that much (is it because she didn' t want Ichigo and Rukia together in A frozen ocean of rain?)**_

_**-purplepam, i can see why you like this story better... it's much more brighter than the A frozen ocean of rain, hehe...**_

_**-vic, and Ichigo is not the only one starting to get feelings... read to find more :)**_

_**-sleeplygirl, after three chapters of fighting and missunderstandings i guess a sweet moment between those two was welcome, haha.**_

_**-Pancakes, i'm really glad you like it... because i wasn't quite sure if the readers will be ok with Isshin's missunderstanding**_

_**-teshichan, thank you... here you have also your request : their reaction when they wake up. :)**_

_**-byakuya7687, thank you! Hope you'll like this chapter, too! :)**_

_**-bianca luna, thank you! glad you like it :)**_

_**-IchiRuki, I'm really glad to hear that! I couldn't update fast since i was a little busy this week.**_

_**-Araiae4u, so you also like this one more than the others?**_

_**-itsruby : Ruby, telling me that my stories are addicting , you really made me happy! :)**_

_**.**_

_**Otherwise enjoy! **_

* * *

_**.**_

_**5. Operation Telling friends: (Unintentional) Success**_

_**.**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**Question 4: How did your friends react when they found out about your engagement?**_

_**Rukia:**__They gave us likes… a lot of them…_

_**Ichigo:**__They found out from internet. That site… Facebook. I didn't even know I had an account back then._

_._

* * *

_._

"Kill him! Kill him now!" a voice shouted.

"The son of a…!" a second voice replied. "You've seen him? He did it behind my back!"

"It's your stupid avatar! I told you to take the elf! No, you wanted the dwarf! … Oh! Look there's another one!" the first one replied. "Watch out!"

"Am I interrupting something?" a third voice cut in and instantly the boys who were apparently staying in front of two computers playing WoW, turned to the threshold, where a tall man, dressed in a captain haori appeared.

"Kuchiki-sama!" the boys hissed and got up from their desks.

"You didn't tell us you were coming… Kuchiki-sama" the first boy said nervously.

"That is because I don't have to. I can come whenever I please…" Byakuya replied emotionlessly and looked at the monitors of the computers suspiciously. He didn't quite understand what the internet and the IT technology were, but he could see that what those two boys were doing was clearly not the work he was paying them to do. He had hired them two years ago in order to supervise his apparitions on the internet, since the number of fan pages and fan fictions with romantic themes had alarmingly increased, menacing the integrity of his public image.

"What can we do for you?" the second boy asked."If it is about the monthly report… we were just about to send it to you"

Meanwhile, the first boy started to look frenetically among the papers spread on the desks and when he founded the one he was looking for, he handed to Byakuya. The noble took it and in order to hide the fact that he didn't understand a word from what it was written there, he kept starring at it with a concentrated frown.

"It seems that your popularity has grow the past few weeks with 5.6% due to the pictorial the SWA has published on their site" the first boy begun to explain.

"Pictorial?" Byakuya asked suspiciously. "I didn't accepted for them to take my pictures"

"It was more a pictorial with paintings made by the fans…"

"Paintings with me?…" Byakuya asked slightly annoyed.

"And Renji…" the first boy added. "Both…naked…"

"Half… naked" the second boy added in order to attenuate the situation.

Byakuya frowned.

"Destroy the SWA site!" he ordered with icy voice and handed the report back.

"But we did that last month…" the first one said despondently.

"And one week later the site was back…Just like your fan page. " the second one added.

Byakuya remained silent. He knew that detaining the SWA from ruing his public image with their perverted fantasies was as useless as telling Yachiru to stop digging secret tunnels under his manor. He decided that I was the time to drop the topic.

"The reason I came here has nothing to do with the report you just gave me…" he said. "What I'm demanding you in this moment is, to make public on internet, the engagement of Rukia and Kurosaki Ichigo."

Both boys looked at Byakuya with big and surprised, but before they could express their astonishment in words, Byakuya added:

"Show me how you will do that." He demanded.

Both boys looked at each other for one second and then they turned to Byakuya replying at the same time:

"Facebook!"

Byakuya frowned, trying to imagine what this "Facebook" could mean.

"Yes, it's simple!" the first boy said. "We create an account for Rukia-sama and we sent an engagement request for Kurosaki Ichigo!"

"Then we brake into Ichigo's account and make him accept the request!" the second boy added.

"In less than two hours the whole Seireitei will know that they're getting married!" the first concluded.

"_Less than two hours? This is faster than a hell butterfly."_ Byakuya stated mentally and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"Good." He stated.

The boys sat on their computers, but before they could get to work, one of them asked:

"Kuchiki-sama, how about we create you a Facebook account, as well?"

.

* * *

.

_Meanwhile on Facebook…Ichigo's profile:_

_**Notification: Ichigo Kurosaki has changed his relationship status. Ichigo Kurosaki is now engaged to Rukia Kuchiki.**_

_Kuchiki Byakuya, Karin Kurosaki, Yuzu Kurosaki, Yasutora Sado and 298 others like this._

_**Karin Kurosaki**__: I would already change that Kuchiki into Kurosaki if I were you, Rukia. Once again congratulations! –_Kurosaki Isshinand Kurosaki Yuzulike this.

_**Ishida Uryu**__: Kurosaki did someone brake into your Facebook account and now is having fun?_

_**Mizuiro Kojima:**__Is this a real engagement or just a Facebook engagement? Anyway, congratulations!_

_**Kurosaki Isshin:**__This is a real engagement! This is a dream came true! Even at this moment, in the next room, Ichigo and Rukia are sleeping together in the king size bed that I brought them as an engagement gift! -_87 people like this.

_**Kuchiki Byakuya:**__Kurosaki Isshin, I would ask you to refrain from making public such details._

_**Inoue Orihime**__: Kurosaki-kun…this is... I mean…I wish you both, all the happiness in the world!_

_**Chizuru Honsho**__: Orihime don't be sad! You still have me!_

_**Inoue Orihime**__I'm not sad! Why would I be? I have no reason to be sad…Hehe… Actually I'm happy for Ichigo and Rukia! So happy that I won't even sleep tonight…because I…I…_

_**Chizuru Honsho:**__Orihime, if you want, you can cry on my shoulder! …Or lap…Or any part of my body that you prefer._

_**Inoue Orihime:**__Thank you Chizuru-chan, but I'm not crying._

_**Inoue Orihime (2 minutes later):**__Well I am crying…_

_**Inoue Orihime (1 minute later):**__…But these are tears of joy!_

_**Inoue Orihime**__: I'm sorry, I will go to bed now…_

_**Shihoin Yoruichi**__: Well, well … it appears that Ichigo-boy has turned into a man! How time flies! It seems like it was yesterday when I first revealed my true form in front of him. Poor thing, he turned all red because I was… naked. -_57 people like this.

_**Kisuke Urahara**__: I still turn red when you do that in front of me…_

_**Shihoin Yoruichi**__: Nobody cares about that, Kisuke. –_15 people like this.

_**Keigo Asano:**__You lied! You said that you're not planning on getting married! You … you … broke my heart, Ichigo! Rukia is far too COOL and BEAUTIFUL and HOT for you!_

_**Kuchiki Byakuya**__: I would also demand the removal of any kind of inappropriate commentaries referring to my sister. However, I have nothing against those addressed to Kurosaki Ichigo._

_**Shihoin Yoruichi**__: Did anyone notice that Byakuya-bo had actually given a like to Ichigo and Rukia engagement? –_107 people like this.

_**Keigo Asano**_:_Ichigo, I reconsidered the problem. I will forgive you for getting married if you make me your best man at the wedding!_

_**Tatsuki Arisawa:**__Wow! Congratulations, Ichigo! It seems that a lot happened while I've been away on the national karate competition. Ps: If Keigo is the best man, I could be the bridesmaid, but don't expect me to wear a fluffy pink dress, ok?_

_**Keigo Asano:**__Answer me, Ichigo! Can I be your best man?_

_**Mizuiro Kojima:**__Keigo, if Ichigo doesn't want you as his best man, you can still be Rukia's bridesmaid. I'm sure Tatsuki won't mind__!__-_25 people like this

_**Nanao Ise**__: On behalf of the Shinigami Woman Association I am congratulating both of you for your engagement! I am also expecting an exclusive interview for the association's magazine before the wedding date… And an exclusive pictorial! We would also like Captain Kuchiki Byakuya in that pictorial (if possible with Renji Abarai) –_64 people like this.

_**Matsumoto Rangiku**__: Weddings! I love weddings!_

_**Kyoraku Shunsui**__: This means celebration and sake! I love sake!_

_**Matsumoto Rangiku**__: Weddings and sake! The best combination! –_Kyoraku Shunsui likes this.

_**Abarai Renji:**__Hinamori called Kira and then Kira shunpo-ed to my home to tell about… this! … Ichigo only wait until Taicho finds out__!_

_**Shihoin Yoruichi:**__Renji, Byakuya-bo already knows… check out the comments above…and the likes!__–_25 people like this.

_**Abarai Renji**_:_Well…I don't care If Taicho agrees! You don't deserve Rukia! Just wait until I get to you… I'm on my way Ichigo!_

_**Kuchiki Byakuya**__: Renji, the only place you will get to is your office, tomorrow morning, to finish your paper work. -_45 people like this

_**Abarai Renji**_:_But Taicho…_

_**Kuchiki Byakuya:**__Renji__,__I will not repeat myself__. –_15 people like this.

_**Yachiru Kusajishi**__: I'm so happy because Ichigo and Rukia are together! Ken-chan is next to me and he is also happy. He said: "If Ichigo marries Rukia, he will come to live in Seireitei and I could fight him anytime!" Ichigo and Ken-chan will be best friends! By the way, will there be a big cake at the wedding?_

_**Yumechika Ayasegawa**__: Since this is one of the most popular posts in Seireitei at this hour, I know that everybody will see my comment, so… could you guys enter my profile and give some likes on my latest pictures? -_23 people reported this as a spam.

_**Ikkaku Madarame**__: If I'd reveal my Bankai on Facebook, I'm sure that I won't need to comment popular posts in order to get some likes for my pictures!_

_**Yachiru Kusajishi**__: Hey Baldy, Ken-chan is asking what Bankai you're talking about?_

_**Keigo Asano**__: Oi, Ichigo! I want to be your best man at the wedding! Why don't you answer me? Are you asleep?_

_**Kurosaki Isshin**__: Yes, he is asleep. Call him tomorrow, but after 12 pm because he might be tired. With a girl like Rukia next to him, you can imagine! –_105 people like this

_**Kuchiki Byakuya**__: " With A girl like Rukia" we can imagine what exactly, Kurosaki? Continue your sentence, please._- 56 people like this_._

_**Kurosaki Isshin**__: Kuchiki, I thought you wanted to refrain from writing improper comments –_95 people like this.

_**Ukitake Jushiro**_:_What a pleasant surprise! I'm glad for both of you! Did you fix the wedding date?_

_**Kuchiki Byakuya**__: The wedding will be on 15__th__of August. –_250 people like this

_**Matsumoto Rangiku**_:_Have you heard people? The wedding is on August 15__th__! Cancel all the plans you made for that day! -_196 people like this

_**Mizuiro Kojima:**__I bought tickets for Lady Gaga on that day… Now I have to sell them. Anyone interested?_

_**Matsumoto Rangiku**__: Who's Lady Gaga?_

_**Katsuya Kuchiki**__: On behalf of the Kuchiki Elders I have made this account to express plainly our disapproval with this union! This wedding is null and void… and it will not be acknowledged!_

_**Matsumoto Rangiku:**__Who's Katsuya Kuchiki?__–_56 people like this

_**Kuchiki Byakuya**_:_Nobody important_. -75 people like this.

_**Shinji Hirako**__: Oi, Ichigo congratz! Kinsei and I, we were wondering when will the bachelor party take place? – 23 people like this._

_**Shinji Hirako (5 minutes later):**__Oh…and Hiyori, here, she says that she also wants to attend the bachelor party. I tried to explain her that is a guys' thing, but…_

_**Matsumoto Rangiku**__: This is not fair! Rukia should also have a bachelor party!_

_**Nanao Ise**__: The SWA could take care of it in exchange of an exclusive interview with Captain Kuchiki Byakuya._

_**Matsumoto Rangiku**__: Make sure that there will be plenty of drinks!_

_**Yachiru Kusajishi**__: And sweets!_

_**Kuchiki Byakuya:**__There will be no interview and no bachelor party for Rukia._

_**Yachiru Kusajishi**__: Bya-kun… you meanie! -_53 people like this

.

_And the comments kept flowing for the rest of the night. It seemed that the only persons who actually got some rest that night were Ichigo and Rukia._

_._

* * *

_._

Rukia felt warm. It's been a while since she hasn't felt that warm while she was sleeping. Curious on the source of the pleasant warmth, she opened her eyes and saw a giant Chappy embracing her. She grinned happily, grabbed him in her arms and she hold him tightly.

But was it actually the giant Chappy that Rukia was hugging?

Ichigo felt something stifling him. It was something around his neck. He tried to ignore it, knowing that if he'll open his eyes his sleep will be driven away, but the grip became tighter. Half asleep, he directed his hand over his neck and he suddenly felt a pair of small, cold hands.

His sleep instantly disappeared. He opened his eyes and saw Rukia curled around him.

"Ghh!" he hissed uncontrollably and Rukia also opened her eyes.

.

* * *

.

Isshin just get out from the bathroom after he took his morning shower and the moment he passed by Ichigo's room, he heard a loud thud. Curiously, he stopped for a second and approached his ear to the door. When he heard Ichigo groaning, he started to chuckle.

"Stop eavesdropping!" a voice scolded him.

Isshin turned with a grin and saw Karin at the top of the stairs.

"It seems that the night wasn't enough for them!"

"You old pervert! Couldn't you just give them some privacy?" the girl replied annoyed.

But the following moment the door opened violently and Ichigo exited the room, visibly annoyed.

"Crazy woman!" he shouted, while Isshin and Karin were starring with plain expressions. "Crazy violent woman!" he continued, ignoring his family. "It's you who crossed the line, not me!"

"I don't care!" Rukia's voice replied from the bedroom.

On that answer, Ichigo turned to the threshold with a malicious smile.

"Is that so?" he grinned at her. "In that case tonight you're sleeping in the closet!"

"That would be a pleasure! Thank you!" she answered stiffed.

"No! The _pleasure_will be _mine_!" he shouted and concluded their conversation by slamming the door. He passed beside his father and sister still ignoring them and descended the stairs, while mumbling to himself: "Crazy woman to kick me out of the bed! I should be the one kicking her out! She crossed the line… not me!"

Meanwhile, both Isshin and Karin remained silent, slowly turning their gaze to each other.

"Did they have a fight?" Isshin asked visibly worried.

Karin frowned:

"I doubt it…that's how they usually are…"

"So we should get used to… _this_?"

Karin shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm going to take a shower… I'll see you downstairs" she concluded while heading to the bathroom.

"After breakfast…are you coming with us to book a restaurant for the wedding?" Isshin asked.

From the bathroom's thresholds Karin turned with a cocked eyebrow:

"You're kidding, right?"

Isshin put on a puppy face, but Karin closed the door behind her.

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!" Ichigo's voice suddenly yelled annoyed from the kitchen. "Since when is my engagement has been posted on Facebook?!"

Isshin turned to the stairs and bit his lips. _'This is going to be a long day'_ he thought.

...

* * *

**So that was for the moment! Hope you like it and you'll review it!**

**Remember: the more you review, the faster i update! :D**


	6. Operation Finding The Restaurant: succes

**_Hey , i'm back! The "wedding" saga continues, haha_**

**_._**

**_- sai, i think i will stick with a pure ichiruki... (actually it's a lot easier( for me) and more pleasant (for the readers who wish ichiruki moments.)_**

**_-purplepam, hey thanks, glad you like this one:)_**  
**_-pmw928, yep that was one shot "facebook". I wanted to caught all the other character's reactions :)_**

**_-sleeplygirl... haha, the couple went kind of popular on facebook! everyone commented. (most of them... i couldn't bore you and include all the characters)_**

**_-Star fire girl 788, glad you like it!_**

**_-vic, thanks! let me know what you think about this chap, as well._**

**_-Ru-tama, i will try to keep up the good work! thank you_**

**_-itsruby, hope you'll like this one also, even though it's not as funny as the last one (but it's sweet... or kind of...)_**

**_-danee, at 4 am? are you also sleeping that late, haha? and about that "nuuuuu" ... are you romanian? because that's the way you say "no" in romanian. Oh... and sorry, i never liked hitsugaya... no particular reason._**

**_-ArsinoetheXXVII, thank you! really glad you like it!_**

**_-kh2fan1 ... keigox tatsuki? I've never thought of that..._**

**_-Avalon's Angel. Byakuya on facebook... yes, i know: hard to believe, but impossible actually, haha_**

**_-Thunder Claw03, i think that the couple will be so caught up in the wedding plans that they won't even have the time or the energy to get angry on Byakuya for posting their engagement on facebook... or will they?_**

**_-byakuya7687, well that makes me happy to know that i can make people laugh... hysterically! :)_**

**_-bleachgirl2001, thank you., calling me a talented writer it's the best praising i can get here_**

**_- falconrukichi... and byakuya is not the only one excited on the marriage, hehe_**

**_-anon .. i don't think that anything or anyone could surpass the Chappy in Rukia's heart, haha... maybe only an Ichigo dressed in a chappy constume!_**

**_._**

**_Enjoy!_**

.

* * *

.

_**6. Operation Finding The Restaurant: (eventually) Success**_

_**.**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**Question 5: What made you decide to have the wedding reception and the ceremony in the real world?**_

_**Rukia:**__Don't ask me… Ask Ichigo. He's the one who wanted it there._

_**Ichigo**__(__**turning to Rukia):**__… As if you didn't enjoyed your wedding in Karakura. Now that I think about it, I should have known better than to have the reception in Seireitei and let Byakuya handle it all. It would have been a lot easier for me, you know?_

_**Rukia (displeased**__) : What do you mean by that?_

_**Ichigo:**__You don't remember how you dragged me all over Karakura to find the right restaurant…the right dress and right… everything? (Then, turning to the reporter). I remember when we went to book the restaurant, we drove 4 hours in Kararura to find that damned Riviera. I could get to Tokyo within that time and maybe even return, you understand? It was a terrible day! I just wanted to get home, but Rukia, dad and Yuzu had teamed up in order to test my limits! You know, booking restaurants and matching the color of the ribbons with the flowers are not things for a guy like me… Maybe Ishida would have enjoyed it, but for me it was too much! Aaah!… We drove four hours around Karakura? Four! Can you imagine that?_

_._

* * *

_._

Even if Karin could refuse her father, she could absolutely not refuse her new sister. It took only a smile from Rukia to convince her to join the family in the "Finding the Perfect Restaurant" quest. Even though in the beginning she wasn't enthusiastic about the idea, now, after more than three hour of driving around the town and visiting all the restaurant, pubs and any other places on which a wedding could be organized, she didn't regret being brought along. Because Ichigo, who was more than exhausted and exasperated about the whole situation, seemed to need the company of someone who shared his estate of mind.

While Isshin, Yuzu and Rukia were inside of another restaurant, she and Ichigo decided that they had enough and remained in the car. Ichigo had a gloomy expression as he was watching the entrance of the restaurant, waiting for his family to return. They were both done with the "too big, "too small", "too expensive", "too cheap", "too ugly", "too insipid" speech.

"I like this one…" Karin said referring to the restaurant.

"They're all the same for me…" Ichigo replied with a bored air.

"Maybe they will agree on this one… and then we could all go home" she added in order to cheer up her brother.

"I couldn't possibly be that lucky!" Ichigo commented.

Karin was thinking the same thing, but she couldn't agree with him. It will only make things worse. She turned her gaze to the window and saw the family approaching, all three of them adopting a stiffed and annoyed air.

"Thieves! "Isshing shouted as he opened the door and sat on the driver seat. "They couldn't possibly ask such a price for such a small place!"

"And those cakes from the catalogue… weren't even good looking. I could make a better one at home anytime!" Yuzu commented.

"I think the manager was far too rude with us… I am definitely not having my wedding reception there!" Rukia added.

Ichigo and Karin rolled their eyes and exchanged a meaningful look.

"Told you!" was the only thing Ichigo added toward his sister.

"You told her what?" Rukia intervened.

"Nothing…" Ichigo replied.

"It doesn't look like nothing to me…" she commented and then turned to Karin. "What did he tell you?"

Karin widened her eyes. Rukia was visibly irritated and stressed with the whole wedding planning so she was slowly starting to overreact over anything. One wrong word from her and Rukia will turn into the person who kicked Ichigo out the bed that morning. Ichigo gasped.

"I told her that you wouldn't like the restaurant… That's all!" he said.

On those words, Isshin suddenly slammed the brakes and, along with Yuzu and Rukia, he turned to the Ichigo annoyed:

"IF YOU KNEW THAT, WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO BEFORE WE ENTER?!" the three of them snapped at the same time.

From the passenger seat, Ichigo turned to Karin with a "Help me!" expression, but Karin bit her lips, knowing that it was hopeless to fight with Isshin, Yuzu and most of all…Rukia, at the same time

"Ichigo, you were supposed to help… not to make things harder," Rukia said when Isshin resumed his driving.

"But what have I done?" he asked confused.

"Uuuuuh!" she growled annoyed and approached Isshin's seat: "On this rhythm, we will never find a restaurant in time, Dad" she said.

Ichigo's eyes widened. Since when his father was "Dad" for her?

"Don't worry, my daughter…" Isshin said. "We still have time…"

"And even if we do, what if Nii-sama does not agree with it?" she asked.

"My daughter, I promise you I will find a place that even your grumpy brother will like!" Isshin replied with a fatherly voice.

Ichigo frowned. He was still blocked on the "Dad" issue. Until last night Isshin was "Kurosaki-san", "Ichigo's father" or "Ichigo's pervert old man" to her. Now, he became "dad"? He was more than surprised. Did the "wedding planning" bring those two that much closer? And since when Rukia was so enthusiastic about things like picking the restaurant, the flowers, the dress … and all the other girlish stuff? He had known Rukia for 10 years. He never expected to marry her, but since all the damage had been already done, he could only be contented with the fact that he will get to spend the rest of his life with a person he knows well.

At least, that is what he thought until last night. This new Rukia was preoccupied with matching the color of the tablecloth with the carpet of the restaurant and the jewelries she will wear on the wedding day. Like he'd never met her before. It was a difficult thing to admit, but after 10 years, he was discovering new parts of Rukia. It was strange, but he also had to admit that Rukia was actually enjoying herself with planning this wedding…so much that for a second she made him believe that they were actually marrying for…love.

Ichigo's eyes widened. His last thought was quite awkward.

"Why are you starring at me now?" Rukia snapped annoyed.

Ichigo didn't say a word and turned his gaze away.

"You know… you should also help!" Rukia added with reproach. "This my wedding as much as it is yours!"

Ichigo's eyes widened again. He could hardly recognize Rukia… and that though was scarring him. He suddenly remembered a TV show Yuzu used to watch on Mtv: Bridezillas. He felt like he was stuck in one of its episodes. He concluded that for his own safety, it would be wise for him to keep his mouth shut and agree with whatever Rukia was saying.

He turned to Rukia and shook his head obediently, even tough, caught in his own thoughts, he already forgot what she was early reproaching him. Rukia frowned and gasped annoyed, while she mentally stated "He's no good!". She crossed her arms and turned her eyes to the car's window. This wedding was stressing her, because she wanted it to be perfect. It was slightly odd, since she was never the girlish type. She never cared for appearances and always tried to develop only her warrior side. Normally, she would have went smoothly with planning the wedding reception. Without imposing any extravagant pretentions she would have accepted, most likely, any decent restaurant So then, how did she ended up in this "Bridezilla" episode?...

.

_~~Flashback~~_

_._

_After the she kicked Ichigo out of the bed, Rukia took in consideration the idea that she might have exaggerated with her reaction. After all she was the one who crossed "the line". Her face turned red. How could she curl like that around Ichigo? How could she confound him with "Giant Chappy"?! What would Ichigo think about her now? Maybe she should go downstairs and apologies… But no! That was out of the question. After all it was Ichigo she was talking about. She will just go to the kitchen and act natural, as if nothing happened. There was a possibility that he already forgot about the little incident…_

_And she was right, because when she descended to the kitchen, Ichigo's voice was rending the walls of the house, on a totally different matter:_

"_There is no one else who'd know my facebook password!"_

'_What is "Facebook"?' Rukia asked herself, as he sat at the table and watched calmly the show that the Kurosakis were giving for that morning._

"_189 comments! The whole Karakura know about the wedding, not to mention Seireitei!" Ichigo continued._

"_I still think is cool that Soul Society have internet…" Karin stated._

"_Karin, you're not helping!" Ichigo replied and then he turned to his father._

"_Don't look at me! I already told you I didn't do it!" Isshin replied innocently. "But I think that who did it, had a brilliant idea! Facebook is a miracle! We don't have to worry about the phone bill anymore, for inviting our friends to the wedding!"_

_Rukia frowned. Did everyone know about the wedding already? What were they actually talking about? She turned to Yuzu:_

"_What is facebook?"_

_Yuzu looked at her confused, as she didn't understand the question and served her another omelet._

"_Aaah!" Ichigo growled and ruffled his hair annoyed. "Never mind! I'm going back to bed!"_

"_What?!" Isshin snapped worried. "You don't have time for that! We must go and book a restaurant for the reception!"_

_But Ichigo continued on heading to the stairs._

"_It's 8 and a half… I'm one hundred percent sure that until 12 pm you won't organize yourselves in order to actually get in the car and go to look for a restaurant… so wake me up around 12…" he added and went upstairs._

_The kitchen remained silent for a couple of second, until Isshin turned to his three daughters alarmed._

"_He's right!" he hissed. "Things won't work out like this! We need a plan!"_

_Rukia's eyes widened. Isshin coming up with a plan didn't sound good for her. Actually, none of these wedding things weren't pleasing her. Everybody was making such a big fuss about it while she wanted to keep things as simple as it could. She accepted the wedding, she was aware of the fact that she needed to involve herself in the planning, but all this bustle was making her uncomfortable._

"_But before we chose a place, we must decide on the concept of the wedding" Yuzu said. "I thing I will bring some material that will help Rukia-chan decide!"_

_Rukia bit her tongue. This day nearly started and she was already tired._

" _Yuzu, I don't think Rukia is the kind of girl who would…" Karin tried as she noticed the unease expression on Rukia's face, but Yuzu turned to her with a serious glare._

"_Karin-chan… every girl dreams about the perfect wedding… even you will do that when the time comes!"_

"_Ooooh! I can't wait to seeee my Karin in a white dress!" Isshin cut in ecstatically._

"_Not in this life!" Karin snapped and got up from the table. " I think I will follow Ichi-nii's example and go back to bed…"_

"_And I'll go get the materials!" Yuzu added._

_A couple of minutes later, Yuzu returned with her Ipad and a dozens of fashion magazines. She put them all in front of Rukia who was still unsure of all this. She browsed for her all the articles regarding weddings and brides and while she was giving her explanations, Rukia's eyes were slowly widening… _

_Rukia has never been curios on what a human wedding ceremony meant. As a matter a fact she had never been too font of the whole concept of wedding, but what Yuzu was showing her now… all the little flowers bouquets, all the furbelows, the ribbons, all the white fluffy things, were just too… CUTE! _

_Rukia's eyes sparkled._

_If there was something that she could madder about more than Chappie that would be a collection of cute things. After browsing all those magazines Yuzu gave her, Rukia's mind perceived the human wedding as "the biggest collection of cute things"._

_She raised her head, facing her future father-in-law:_

"_You are right, Isshin-san! We need a plan!" she said with her most serious voice._

"_Indeed, daughter!" He replied with the same air, as if they were both playing in suspense action movie. He leaned over the table and approached Rukia with a deep frowned. "But were not right with the way you addressed me! I'm not "Isshin-san" for you…"_

"_Oh…I'm sorr…." Rukia immediately said, thinking that she should have better called him "Kurosaki-san!"_

"_My daughter!" Isshin suddenly snapped theatrically. "You are compelled to call me "Father"… or "Dad"… or "Daddy"!... Tell me which one do you prefer?"_

_Rukia smiled unsure, troubled by his reaction._

"_I prefere… Isshin-san?..." she said with a low, interrogatively voice causing crocodile tears on Isshin's eyes. "Ok…ok… _dad_ …but please don't start to cry again…" she added._

_Isshin immediately cheered up and turned to his biologically daughters._

"_As for the plan… Yuzu go get the Karakura map! Karin bring the Golden Pages!... We must find all the restaurants in towns and established a run for our trip!"_

_._

_~~End Flashback~~_

_._

"Ishida-san had left a comment on Facebook, Rukia…" Yuzu suddenly said as she was holding her Iphone. "He says that he could design your wedding dress. How nice of him!"

Rukia turned cheerfully to her sister, while Ichigo growled annoyed.

"I swear that when I get home I'll delete my facebook account! I never use it anyway…" he said.

"By the way…" Isshin intervened. "Did you call Asano? He left dozens of comments on Facebook asking you to make him your best men at the wedding…"

"Are you kidding me? I turned off my phone hours ago! This morning I received more phone calls than in all my 25 birthdays!"

"Dad…" Rukia suddenly said with her nose glued on the window. "Could we pull over here?"

Isshin looked on his right and saw a one level modern building. It was simple and bright, with big windows, opened toward a big terrace above the shore of the Karakura river.

"Well…this looks nice!" Karin stated.

"This is Riviera…" Isshin stated. "But we already agreed last night that this is too small…"

"It doesn't look small to me…" Rukia stated and then she turned to Ichigo. "What do you think?"

Ichigo opened his mouth to tell her that he was already too tired, but no answer came out. The smile on Rukia's lips was disarmingly. He just got out of the car and opened the door for her. The four Kurosaki's followed her and they all walked silently to the restaurant. The doors were wide opened, but surprisingly, they found no one in.

Ichigo went a few steps ahead and took a look around. Everything was simple and clear. The big windows permitted the light to enter making all look clean and bright.

"This looks nice…" he stated.

"Isn't it?" Rukia said with surprisingly lovely voice. He turned to her, surprised. The look in her eyes was clearly saying that she had fallen in love with this place.

"And it's not small either…" Ichigo added. He took a few steps toward the round tables on the left. "I'm sure those scary elders will fit in this area…"

Rukia smiled and took a few steps back. "Then we could put Gotei 13 here…"

"Where should the family and us sit?... Near the terrace?" he continued.

"It's an idea…but when you say family, this includes Nii-sama too, right?"

"Hmmm…" Ichigo stated, pretending to consider the problem seriously. "I guess I could take him also in consideration"

"Ha, ha… very funny!" she commented and pinched him, causing him to slightly laugh.

From a few steps away, Isshin noticed that Ichigo and Rukia getting along well for the first time that day. He made a sign toward his daughters to leave them alone.

"We are going to check the terrace" Karin said.

"I'm going to look for the manager!" Isshin added.

Ichigo and Rukia didn't even pay attention to them, since they were both too preoccupied with planning the places where the guests will stay.

"This will leave the center empty for dancing…" Ichigo said.

"Ichigo… I was thinking. Why don't we get a band to the reception?" she proposed.

"Like quartet of strings or …something like that?" he asked with a slight disappointment in his voice.

"No!" she replied with a weary face. "No classical or Japanese traditional music at my wedding! I want my guests to have fun! And myself - I want to have fun!"

"And what would _"Nii-sama"_ say about that?" he asked with a cocked eyebrow, pointing out Byakuya with irony in his question.

"Well… it's my wedding, not Nii-sama's," she replied with a low voice.

He smiled, pleased by her answer and then he heard himself adding the words:

"Actually is our wedding…"

"Yes, of course…" she added immediately.

An awkward silence fell between them for a couple of seconds. So, in order to make it disappear, he said:

"I'll look for a band, then…"

"And we also have to look for a song" she added.

He frowned confused.

"A song… for the grooms' dance" she explained.

He made a weary face.

"Do I also have to take classes for that dance?"

"I don't know about you… but I certainly do. I dance like a penguin," she admitted.

He started to laugh.

"I'll go with you, then" he said.

"Really?" she asked happily.

"Well…we're both in this, right? And moreover I don't want to give Byakuya reasons to make fun of me for the next two centuries."

She smiled and looked once again at the room:

"So we'll put the band on the opposite side of our table…" she said.

"If we'll put it there it means that our table won't be near the terrace then… we'll have to place it on left…there" he said and showed at the front all between the terrace and the entrance." And then move the Elders and the Gotei 13 on the right and left of our table since… you know they're the "_honorable guests_"…"

"So the friends from Karakura will stay on the right and left of the band?"

"That's far better…" he replied.

Without acknowledging it, Ichigo was caught by the "wedding planning" fever. He didn't know why, but he was also starting to enjoy it. It was strange because weddings were not his cup of tea. Moreover, he was slowly beginning to understand Rukia, since he was also acting as if this wedding was real. He felt so comfortable around Rukia as if she was his true fiancée… as if he could embrace her or kiss her at any moment.

"I can't believe I'm getting married…" she stated.

"I can't believe that we're getting married…" he replied.

She turned to him with a half-amused, half-playful look, so he approached her and put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer. None of them acknowledged it but that simple gesture came to them naturally. The same way it would come to any other couple.

From the other side of the room, the place where they imagined to put their table at the reception, Isshin appeared with the manager of the restaurant. They both stopped for a moment and starred at the couple who shared their moment of affection, without knowing that they were being watched.

"They look good together. They must be truly in love" the lady manager commented.

"You have no idea…" Isshin replied.

The manager smiled and went ahead.

"Good evening, my name is Mikoto Haru. I'm the manager of the restaurant. I understood that you would like to book this hall for the 15th of August."

Rukia turned to the manager, trying to part from Ichigo, but for a reason he couldn't understand, Ichigo kept his hand around her shoulder and pulled her back. On her turn, for a reason she also couldn't explain, Rukia didn't protest. The manager begun to gave the details concerning the price, the food menu, the drinks… but suddenly none of them was interested anymore. They were looking at each other with the corner of their eyes, while an unexplainable smile lingered on their lips.

This wedding was as real as any other wedding.

But the dreamy atmosphere was interrupted by the Kurosaki twins who returned from the terrace.

"Keigo is on the phone…." Karin said as she handed him her phone.

"And form where did he get your number?" Ichigo asked annoyed.

"How the hell should I know?" Karin replied.

Ichigo gasped.

"I swear I'm not making him my best man!" he stated and took the phone.

Then, Ichigo headed to the terrace and started to yell on the phone, while Rukia started to explain to the manager her little dream with the ribbons and the flowers for the tables...

The day was far from over...

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**That was for the moment! Let me know what you think! Remember: the more you review, the faster i update! :)**


	7. Operation Managing Crazy Friends: Failed

_**Hey there! I'm back!**_

_**Avalon's Angel, Rndd , IchiRuki,danee, OptimisticQueenRandom, Thunder Claw03 (that kenpachi comment was really good, haha. May i used it on a following chapter?), adamxero (by the way, who's Mikoto Haru?! ), anon (your review actually turned in one of the lines of the chapter, haha) , nasrin88, scottusa1, DoingTheUnstuck, sleeplygirl, byakuya7687, NiceGoingLife, purplepam, jelly, AnomalyLady, pmw928, , IchigoMoonCutter, along with the other guests (especially that one who took the special time to review it from his phone) - thank you for the reviews.   
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_**7. Operation Managing Crazy Friends: Failed**_

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_**Question 6: From this I should understand that the wedding planning was exhausting. Why didn't you ask for your friend's help?**_

_**Rukia (smiling):**__They offered their help before we could even ask. Ishida even wanted to design my wedding dress._

_**Ichigo (horrified):**__Don't make me remember it! I didn't want their help… you don't understand! Finding the restaurant was piece of cake comparing to what I've been through later that night when I met with Keigo._

_**Rukia (ignoring Ichigo and apparently still thinking of Ishida**__): Of course Nii-sama didn't approved with the idea. He insisted on me wearing an ultra expensive brand dress… but even after all these years, I still think that Ishida had some brilliant ideas. Most of them were even better than all the stuff I found on the fashion houses Nii-sama sent me to. (She gasps regretfully and stands up facing the reporter) I'm sorry, Nii-sama must be already here so you will continue the interview with Ichigo only..._

_**The reporter (toward Ichigo, the moment Rukia leaves the room):**__Do you think you can manage a meeting with the captain, as well? Just a short one…_

_**Ichigo:**__…_

_**The reporter**__: …Very short._

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_._

"I swear! I'm not making him my best man!" Ichigo yelled in the kitchen while Yuzu served him the dinner. "No! There's no way! He'll ruin the whole wedding!" he added once again and turned to Rukia.

"Imagine! Your brother will be there … the whole Gotei 13 will be there! What would they think when Keigo will start… you know, to be Keigo!"

Rukia didn't answer. It wasn't because she didn't care about Ichigo's weird friends embarrassing her in front of her clan. It was more because she heard this speech all over again during the afternoon… and now during the evening. It really started to bore her… and apparently she wasn't the only one. Isshin gasped and discreetly turned to Rukia with a meaningful look.

"Ketchup, anyone?" Yuzu asked.

Ichigo took the red bottle and put almost half of its content on his plate.

"You know what?" Ichigo continued, presuming that Rukia was actually listening to him, but in fact she was paying attention to Karin who was teaching her how to use facebook from her IPad. "I think that for our own safety we shouldn't invite him to the wedding. Don't you agree with me, Rukia?"

"Uhuh…" Rukia replied absently as her eyes widened at Karin's I-Pad. "So that's a relationship status!"

"Yeah… Pretty much. Cool, huh?" Karin replied.

Ichigo suddenly turned to both of them annoyed.

"You weren't even listening to me!" he snapped.

Karin displayed a guilty grin while Rukia calmly raised her gaze from the I-Pad.

"Actually, I was." she said with boredom, "But it's the thousand time I'm hearing this, so excuse for not being enthusiast about it anymore" and then she returned to Karin and her explanations.

"Fine!" Ichigo stated and burying his face into his plate. "You don't care."

Rukia rolled her eyes annoyed.

"Ichigo…" she intoned with boredom.

"No, it's fine. Really." Ichigo said using an indifferent voice. "After all it's about your wedding. A Kuchiki wedding, as your brother was eager to mention. No, really Rukia, excuse me for making myself a thousand of worries in order to please Byakuya."

Rukia frowned.

"And now it's about Nii-sama?"

"Well if it wasn't for him, I would have had no problem with Keigo being my best man. Now I even have to think about if I can invite him!"

"Ichigo, I have dozens of things to take care of and your best man it's among the least of them! Excuse me, but I don't care about Keigo at the moment!" Rukia replied flustered.

"Ok, fine!" Ichigo said with the same indifferent and calm voice, while looking in his plate. "I'll let Keigo know how you feel so he won't insist anymore."

"You wouldn't dare!" she growled.

On those words, knowing that he had really made her furious, he raised gaze for his plate and faced her with a self-pleased grin.

"Ok, would anyone like seconds?" Yuzu suddenly intervened, trying to prevent the couple to start a real fight.

"No, thank you!" Rukia replied stiffed.

"Yes, please!" Ichigo added on the same manner.

From the opposite side of the table Isshin was speechless.

"I told you, to get used to this." Karin whispered to him.

For the rest of the dinner the couple remained silent. Actually, Ichigo wasn't that concerned about the wedding and its guests. Normally, in all that stress and preparations, he also wouldn't have thought about Keigo. But Keigo called him, and he knew that there was no way to put an end to his melodramas if he won't agree to meet him.

So during the phone conversation he had while he was still at Riviera, Ichigo promised to have a beer with him after diner. Ever since that phone call Ichigo has been nervous and kept repeating the "I'm not making him my best man" speech. It was his dissimulate manner of expressing his worry for the moment he will actually meet his friend and question like "Are you really getting married?", "Why did you hide the fact that you were with Rukia?", "Since when are you guys together?" All these questions would invade his sanity.

What will his answers be? The fact that he was marrying Rukia so she won't have to marry her brother put him in a delicate situation, so his friends didn't have to find the true reason of his marriage. If Keigo finds out this is a fake marriage, the other will find out too and the Elders will immediately invalidate the union, a situation in which Rukia will have to marry Byakuya, again. Keeping Keigo away was for Rukia's own good. After all, and she didn't even pay attention to him! He was making himself thousands of worries and she was having fun on Facebook!

Ichigo put aside the plate as he finished his food. He looked at the clock on the wall. It was already 9 pm.

_'Around 9:30, Keigo will already be at the pub'_ he thought.

Then he turned to Rukia, who was still playing on the I-Pad with Karin. He hadn't told her yet that he intended to go out tonight, but there was no way she would have a problem with that, right? Then Ichigo mentally slapped himself. Why was he looking for Rukia's approval for going out with his pals?

"Rukia…" he begun and suddenly his throat suddenly became dry. He cleared his throat and approached an indifferent tone of voice, as If he was talking about weather: "I'll be out… tonight…"

Rukia raised her eyes from the I-Pad. She didn't say a word but those violet eyes that were piercing him were clearly snapping the questions:

"Where?" and "With who?", but moreover, "When will you be back?"

That look really gave Ichigo goose bumps.

"I'll be careful to not wake you up when I return …" he added.

"So, you'll be back late…" Rukia stated.

"I… don't know…" Ichigo replied unsure.

"I see…" she concluded.

"Oh, just look at them! Already acting like a married couple!" Isshin snapped ecstatically.

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Why was he even try to justify himself in front of Rukia? So what if she was his fiancée? Before he was engaged to her, she was his best friend. Back then, she never gave him that look when he told her that he will hang out with his friends…back then he didn't feel the need to give her explanations on the way he spent his time when he wasn't around her…

He growled annoyed and enter the pub where he usually met with Keigo on the Fridays. He scanned the room and he finally saw Keigo waving at him from one of the tables next to the window. He took a few steps toward him and then he suddenly stopped: Keigo was not alone at the table. Mizuiro was there also…and Ishida…and Chad as well.

"I thought you told me there will be just the two of us!" Ichigo said toward Keigo.

"Good evening to you, too, Kurosaki…" Ishida said.

"Ichigo, of course I told them to come, we have to celebrate!" Keigo snapped.

Ichigo displayed a tangled grin as he sat at the table.

"How could you be so cruel and let all of us know about your engagement through Facebook?" Keigo started to cry after the waitress took Ichigo's order.

"I didn't put my engagement of Facebook. I don't know who did it, but it wasn't me or Rukia!" Ichigo said.

"I knew it!" Ishida intervened. "So someone was having fun on your account!"

"Yes…but who?" Ichigo asked.

"So the engagement isn't real?" Mizuiro suddenly asked.

"Well…" Ichigo tried.

"Well it's not real! Glad we solved this one. Keigo was really starting to get on my nerves!" Ishida intervened.

Keigo instantly begun to cry:

"Why Ichigo?! I wanted to be your best man so much!"

"Actually," Ichigo cut in. "The engagement is real…"

Ishida's eyes widened while Keigo's started to sparkle. Chad and Mizuiro weren't surprised at all.

"Congratulations!" Mizuiro said simply.

"So am I still the best man?!" Keigo asked with a puppy face.

"I still can't believe it." Ishida said, "Rukia is a Kuchiki, there is no way you could marry her! And even if you were able to marry her…how come none of us knew about your relation? It most certainly has been going on for a while, because an engagement is not something you do over night!"

Ichigo smiled with a nervous expression as he mentally stated 'You have no idea, Ishida!'

"Yeah! He's right! Why did you hide that from us? Since when the two of you are a couple?" Keigo snapped with reproach.

Ichigo gasped. He knew he couldn't avoid the answer to those questions and since he knew that he couldn't tell them the truth, he thought of coming out with a good lie. Then he remembered the story Rukia told to his family one night before.

"Since…ever!" he answered and added one his charming but unease smiles."But we couldn't make it public until Byakuya agreed".

"And do you want us to believe that Kuchiki Byakuya has accepted you, now?" Ishida asked diffidently.

"Yeah…kind of…" Ichigo answered.

"Kurosaki - Kuchiki Byakuya hates you." Ishida stated with a straight face. "There's no reason he would accept you."

"Well, he did and I don't even need to know why he did it!" Ichigo lied. "And Ishida, if you think this engagement it's not real, why did you comment on Facebook that you want to design Rukia's dress?"

"This has nothing to do with it!" Ishida replied stiffed. "I couldn't waste a change to display my designer talent."

"So you do check your Facebook, Ichigo!" Keigo snapped hurtfully. "You told me you didn't! I asked you three times to make me your best man; did you even saw my comments?"

"Ichigo, I'm advising you to make him your best man otherwise he won't shut his mouth for the next two months." Mizuiro intervened and Ichigo looked with worry at Keigo who was crying with his face on the table.

"This is happening so fast…" Ishida whispered to himself and tossed back his drink. "I'm sure the world is coming to its end if Kuchiki Byakuya deliberately wants you as his brother-in-law…"

"And what are you thinking of doing after the wedding?" Mizuiro asked ignoring Ishida's mumbling and Keigo's sob.

And on that question, Ichigo remained blank. Caught up in the wedding planning fever he hadn't though once of where he will live after the wedding and how he will support Rukia, since he was still unemployed. Mizuiro read all these thoughts on Ichigo's face and after he ordered himself another glass of beer and added:

"Maybe Ishida is right. Don't you think you are rushing things a little? Why don't you wait to find a job first?"

"The date has been set already, and we also booked the restaurant." Ichigo answered. "We can't lose the money paid for restaurant."

"You already booked the restaurant?"Mizuiro asked surprised.

"Weren't you the one who last week said that you're too young for getting married?" Keigo added reproachfully.

"Well…Did I?" Ichigo mumbled with guilty.

"There must be a reason for which all this is moving so fast." Ishida stated.

"Maybe Ichigo and Rukia are expecting…" Chad's grave voice intervened. It was the first time he had spoken that evening, so everyone remained silent and turned to him, since his words were actually making sense.

Ichigo's eyes widened scared as he didn't want to repeat the experience he had the other night with his family.

"No! She's not pregnant!" he snapped.

"Then why are you suddenly getting married?"

Ichigo gasped. He had to tell them… otherwise their questions, their presumptions and their suspicions won't stop. He just had to tell them…

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Rukia was in the kitchen. She told herself that she was thirsty and that she needed a glass of water, but even after she had that glass of water she continued to stay on the kitchen. "For no particular reason" she told herself, while her eyes were looking from time to time at the entrance door.

"Waiting for him?" Isshin asked as he appeared on the threshold.

"Who? No!" she snapped. "I was just…thirsty!"

Isshin smiled and left her alone.

"Good night, my daughter!" he added as he was furthering away.

"What does "late" mean in the human perception?" she suddenly asked, causing Isshin to stop for a moment:

"I'm sure he'll be back before midnight. And don't worry … he just hangs out with his colleagues from high school."

Her cheeks turned red, but Isshin smiled and left the kitchen.

"Good night… dad!" she said as she watched him leaving. When she remained alone, she put the glass on the sink and headed to her bedroom, as well.

When she got there she noticed a hell butterfly waiting for her. Byakuya was informing her that the engagement party will take place on Saturday and if she couldn't come back tomorrow, she should at least be home with Ichigo on Wednesday. After she sent the butterfly back, she noticed that the closet returned to the room. She looked at it for a couple of seconds but in the end she headed to the bed.

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'_I am late…and it is drunk...'_ Ichigo thought as he opened the entrance door.

"No… I am drunk…and it is late…" he corrected himself with a whispered voice, as he put his converse shoes away and headed to the stairs. He felt like the whole house was about to take off and that his head was turning in a plane's engine. He stopped at the bathroom to wash his face, but despite the cold water, he was still drunk and dizzy. He just shrugged his shoulders in resignation while looking at his reflection in the mirror and then he headed to his room.

Inside his room, only dark and silence greeted him. He stood against the closet for a couple of seconds and patted its surface.

"Good night, Rukia" he mumbled and headed to the bed. Without turning on the lights, he began to unbutton his shirt. He threw it on the floor and put himself on his side of the bed, half naked. He wanted to sleep but when he closed his eyes, his dizziness become stronger. He opened them and began to count the drinks that he'd had that evening in order to become sleepy. After 5, he lost the count.

"How did it go with the guys?" Rukia's voice suddenly popped in the silence of the room, from the other side of the bed.

He turned to her surprised and confused at the same time:

"Weren't you supposed to be in the closet?" he asked.

She didn't answer and he thought that since she was there, he should at least put a t-shirt on him. He had the intention but the bed was too comfortable for him leave it, not even for a second.

"Did you tell them why we're getting married?" Rukia insisted.

"Yes…" he answered.

Rukia suddenly got up and turned to him. The first thing she noticed was that he was nearly naked. The second was the tipsy grin on his lips. Trying to get over these details, she focused on the important things:

"How could you?!" she hissed. "What exactly did you tell them?"

Ichigo frowned confused, trying to remember his words exactly:

"We are getting married because…" and looked at his fingers as he was trying to solve some complicate calculations. "Because we love each other..."

Rukia's eyes widened. He made a pause and then added self pleased: "Yeah…that's what I told them."

Rukia cocked her eyebrows.

"You're drunk." She stated.

He blinked for a couple of times, not sure he understood her words.

"My head hurts," he complained, "I think I'll sleep now…"

And after he said that pulled the sheet over him and closed his eyes. Rukia remained though, sitting straight up on her side of the bed. She kept starring at him while a though crossed her mind: "We are not even married and he already comes back home late…and drunk!"

She was supposed to be annoyed, but a slight smile was lingering on the corner of her lips. She had known Ichigo for more than 10 years but they had never been this close. Unlike the High School years, now it felt that he could feel at ease around her in any situation, even half naked and drunk as he was in this moment.

She listened to his breath and since it was steady, she presumed that he was already asleep. She also turned to her pillow and closed her eyes. Unfortunately, the sleep wasn't coming to her. She knew that even though she had kicked him out of bed that morning, secretly she had to admit that she never had a more restful sleep.

"We are getting married because we love each other…"

_'What a joke,'_ she thought.

But then, unsure of what she was doing, she crossed the line that split the bed in two and she approached Ichigo. She didn't know why she was. Was it because she just felt at ease around him? Was it because she just wanted to feel warmth of being close to someone? She just curled to his chest like a child. For the first minute her heart beat fast, almost popping out her chest, because Ichigo answered to her gesture by putting his hand around her waist. She looked at him with wide eyes, but he really seemed asleep. Slowly, her heartbeat calmed and when she closed her eyes, that restful sleep came back to her.

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When she finally fell asleep, Ichigo opened his eyes and looked at her confused. All his dizziness disappeared and a voice inside him begun to ask:

"_Why?"_

And then he suddenly felt like he wanted to hold her tighter. He wished to blame it on the alcohol, but unfortunately, he was no longer drunk…

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_**That was is for the moment, i'll try to come back with a sonne(er) update. Until then, read and review!**_


	8. Operation dealing the nobility

**_Hey there. It's been a long time, but gladly i'm back!_**

**_purplepam, Outer space-alien XV, Thunder Claw03, Thunder Claw03, V, anon, IchigoMoonCutter, Guest, . , B000097z, DinieLuvYunho, Eradona, teshichan, Avalon360, ShuheiKun, scottusa1, Aleaster, tituslepetitlion, ChaosMuramasa13, Methrindal, TomoMee, KuchikiSummerfrost, ilovebks. All of you thank you for your reviews! :) Here you have a new chapter! Enjoy it!  
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_**8. Operation dealing the nobility: totally failed**_

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_**The reporte**__r( while running on the corridor): Kuchiki taicho! Kuchiki taicho! Just a second! Could tell us a few words about your brother in law, Kurosaki Ichigo? How did he integrate in his new noble family when he married your sister?_

_**Byakuya **__( while he was walking): I do not think he ever integrated…_

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"Keep your back straight… and your chin as well. No, not that high! Look forward! I said look forward but not into my eyes! The nobles don't stare at each other's. It's rude."

Ichigo gasped annoyed as he tried to follow Byakuya's instructions. He was back in Sereitei for two days and ever since he hasn't done anything but practice the noble ways at the Kuchiki manor. Apparently Byakuya had offered special time in teaching him the tea ceremony along with all the "_good manners_" he was supposed to display at the engagement party, next week and moreover at the tea ceremony he had to attend tomorrow. As he stood in the living room dressed in e ceremonial kimono, he looked in his left with the corner of his eyes. It seemed that Rukia, who was sitting next to him, could perform the ceremony without any difficulty. He gasped again.

"And don't sight. Nobles certainly don't sight during tea ceremony." Byakuya added.

"Well I'm not a noble!" Ichigo finally replied annoyed.

"Indeed. You are not… _**yet**_" Byakuya replied as he prepared the tea in his bowl with most refined and precise gestures.

"Yet?... What is that supposed to mean? I'm marrying a noble, that doesn't mean I'm going to become one!" Ichigo added, as he was mixing the herbal in his bowl with pretty brutal movements.

Byakuya didn't reply. He only exchanged a meaningful look with Rukia.

"What?!" Ichigo snapped annoyed, as he hated when the brothers two were acting in complicity. "What?"

Byakuya turned his eyes to Ichigo and his face suddenly darkened:

"You spilled it! Your tea is all over the floor!"

Ichigo lowered his eyes and noticed that Byakuya was right:

"Well ,you told me to mix the herbals hard!" he defended himself.

"I said to mix them not to spill them" Byakuya replied, calmly but pointing each of his words.

Ichigo growled and looked at Rukia to check if she was doing it better. For his disappointment, she appeared to have the same skills as Byakuya.

"How can you do it?" he asked her intrigued. "I mean Byakuya I get it. He's one stiffed noble, but you aren't Rukia. How can you do it, then?"

Rukia didn't answer as she knew that during tea ceremony the silence and the peace were essential. Of neither course this session wasn't silent or peaceful, but as she wanted to make a good impression in fort of her brother, she decided to keep the appearances.

"I believe that being smarter than you, explains how she can succeed where you successively fail, Ichigo." Byakuya stated.

Ichigo frowned annoyed, while Rukia bowed her face to hide a cocky smirk.

"But that doesn't mean you have to lose hope" Byakuya added. "Rukia wasn't born knowing how to prepare tea, myself I wasn't born knowing that and even though, we obviously learned it faster than you, it doesn't mean that you will not learn how do it…_eventually_"

Ichigo cocked an eyebrow. If Byakuya's intention was to encourage him, he clearly failed. The only thing he succeeded in, was to make him look stupid and unmannered in front of Rukia. Anyway, it's not like he cared about what Rukia was thinking about him… Or did he?

Byakuya suddenly put down his bowl and got up.

"I have an appointment, so I will leave the rest to Rukia, but when I'll return at dinner time, I'm expecting you to serve us the tea properly, Ichigo."

"The hell I will!" Ichigo replied putting down his bowl as it was some kind of poisoned food.

Byakuya didn't reply and Rukia got up in order to lead him to the exit. As they were approaching the door, Byakuya stopped for a moment:

"Your future husband is no good" he stated.

Rukia bowed her head, abstaining herself comments such as "_He might be, but weren't you the one who chose it?"._

"You know, I heard that!" Ichigo snapped from his seat.

Byakuya looked at him with the corner of his eyes.

"You should me more grateful to me, Byakuya, given that I saved you from marrying to your sister." Ichigo added slightly annoyed.

"And for that you get to marry a wonderful woman which you obviously don't deserve." Byakuya replied icily.

Both of them pierced each other with a deadly glare, while Rukia bowed her face again, in order to hide the blush on her cheeks. She couldn't believe that her brother had just called her "a wonderful woman".

"So I wonder who should be more grateful and to who, Kurosaki" Byakuya concluded coldly and then he turned to Rukia. " He must be toughed our ways before the party, otherwise he will never be acknowledged by the clan no matter how many adoption papers he will sign"

"What adoption?!" Ichigo suddenly snapped.

Byakuya looked at Rukia:

"You didn't tell him yet, didn't you?" he asked her with low voice.

Rukia shook her head negatively.

"I see" Byakuya added. "It's alright. He will find out soon enough, anyway"

"What are you two whispering there?" Ichigo asked annoyed.

Byakuya opened the door and stepped out:

"Rukia, I'm expecting that by diner time he won't spill the tea on the floor anymore."

"Leave him to me, Nii-sama" Rukia replied politely. "Have a nice day, Nii-sama"

Byakuya left the room and Rukia gracefully closed the door. She waited for a couple of seconds and then she approached Ichigo with small steps and one of her fake, but dangerous smiles. When she reached him she gracefully took Ichigo's tea bowl from the floor and… she threw it on the top of his head!

"What was that?!" he snapped angry as his orange hair was slowly turning green from the tea.

"That's because you're an asswhole!" she snapped, dropping the entire noble and graceful act. "Nii-sama took from his precious time to teach you the tea ceremony, but you have been so rude by yelling and interrupting him at every five seconds! If it wouldn't have been for the Elders who are coming tomorrow, he would have had you slice opened by now!"

Ichigo started to laugh.

"The hell he will Rukia! Don't you remember who beat his ass in order to save you from the execution?" he replied with a cocky frown.

"I still believe that he let you win that fight!" she replied stiffed.

"What?!" he snapped.

She took another bowl, put some plants in it and then she gave it to Ichigo:

"Here you go! This time you'll mix them the right way!" she snapped with a bossy tone and then she turned around heading to the door.

"Hey! Where are you going?" he asked intrigued.

"To my headquarters, Ichigo!" she answered and she took of her ceremonial haiori, remaining in her shinigami uniform. "… Because, unlike others, I also have to _work!_" she replied.

He cocked an eyebrow as he got up and followed her:

"So you are going to office when your brother asked to stay here and teach me to prepare this stupid tea? It sounds to me or are you going to disobey your _brother's orders_?"

She stopped and turned to him with a malicious smile:

"Well, as Nii-sama early mentioned you are stupid enough to not be able to perform the tea ceremony! Nii-sama showed you five times already and you didn't get how to mix those stupid plants! I don't think that explain you for the sixth time will do any difference!" she said and she turned her back, continuing to the door.

"And what am I going to do until diner, all alone in this huge manor?" he asked worried since Rukia was determined to leave.

She stopped again:

"You heard, Nii-sama! You will improve you tea!"

"You know I will not do that!"

She frowned annoyed:

"You will do it, Ichigo because Nii-sama told you so and because you won't ashamed us in front of the Elders tomorrow!"

"Hey stop that!" Ichigo snapped annoyed. "Just because Byakuya is bossing you around, it doesn't mean that the same thing will happen to me!"

Rukia cocked an eyebrow, amused:

"Well, Ichigo even if you like it or not, he is already your boss!"

Ichigo started to laugh.

"That was a good one, Rukia! You really have the sense of humor" he replied, but Rukia looked at him with a straight face:

"Ichigo, Nii-sama is the head of this clan…and once we'll be married you will also be part of this family."

Ichigo's laugh suddenly stopped.

"So once you'll start to wear the Kuchiki name, you will have to learn to obey Nii-sama." Rukia added.

" The Kuchicki…WHAT?!" Ichigo shouted.

Rukia smiled maliciously and opened the door:

"Have fun with the tea, Ichigo!" were her last words before she shunpo-ed and leave Ichigo in a shock estate.

"_No…i… will never wear the Kuchiki name…"_ he whispered with scarred voice. "_No… no fucking way!"_

_._

* * *

_._

The servant led Byakuya inside the house and stopped him in front of a closed door. As the servant knocked on the door and announced Byakuya's arrival, a middle aged man with a wrinkled face appeared in the threshold.  
"Byakuya, i was expecting you. I already had my pen prepared for signing!" He said as he was inviting him in the office. As he stepped in, Byakuya discovered a large room with traditional furniture, but full of gadgets and souvenirs from the human world.  
"I can see that your daughter is still sending you presents" Byakuya staed as he stopped in front of the desk.  
"Well, yes, of course. Haruna writes me every month. Sometimes she asks me about you. Would you like me to send her your greetings?" The middle aged man replied.  
Byakuya didn't answer and the man in front of him gasped sorrowfully.  
"I guess not... maybe next time. But you know, she truly asks about you..."  
Again, Byakuya didn't reply. He just sat and stares at the man in front of him, Goroza Ryoing, one of the most powerful elder in the Kuchiki Council.  
"Anyway, we should get down to business." The elder concluded as he exited from a drawer a pen. Byakuya handed him then some documents that he began to read carefully.  
"So ,this Kurosaki will be part of our clan. My opinion is that you made a good move. Even if he's not a noble, he's quite a star in Seireitei ever since the Aizen incident. Our clan made a good acquisition."  
" If you feel this way, then sigh the adoption agreement" Byakuya said coldly.  
Goroza cocked an eyebrow and put the pen aside for a moment:  
" You don't have to worry about me because i will sign, but what are you going to do about those like Katsuya? They still want you married to Rukia so that you won't turn her into this family's head, after you'll retire."  
The only answer that Byakuya offered back was his emotionless and impassive expression. Goroza sight and finally, he took the pen to sign the documents.  
"You know that Katsuya will give you a hard time at the engagement party, right?..." he added.  
"Goroza, you've done your job, so let me worry about Katsuya" Byakuya replied as he took back the documents and got up from his seat. "Have a good day. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

.

* * *

.

Rukia shunpo-ed away from her home, wondering if she chose the right moment to tell Ichigo about the adoption papers. Obviously it was the worst moment, but she felt like she couldn't stand him anymore. Ever since they got back in Seireitei he did nothing but nagging her: "_I'm not any preparing tea!", "I'm not wearing any ridiculous kimonos", "I'm not going to any party", "Ok, I'm going but I won't stay more than an hour!"_ .She just had to pay him back somehow.

She stepped into her quarters ready to meet her captain. An hour ago, she received a message from him, requesting her presence immediately. She knocked on the door and Ukitake invited her in, but the moment she heard his voice, she frowned worried: he sounded …ill.

"Ukitake Taicho… are you alright?" she asked as she opened the door.

"SURPIZE!"

Rukia's eyes widened for a second, but the next one, they rolled annoyed, accompanied by a hopeless sight: Apparently all the officers of the 13 Division were in Ukitake's office, throwing with confetti and holding banners with "Congratulations for your wedding".

'_When is all this going to end__?_' she mentally asked herself as she displayed one of her charming, but fake smiles. It was already the third so called "surprise party" she was attending. First it was at home organized by her maids and the second was at the SWA headquarters.

.

* * *

.

Renji got up from his seat for the fifth time. He went to his captain's office, but again, he found no one inside. He gasped nervously. He knew that Rukia got back two days ago, but he didn't manage to get in touch with her. She didn't show up at work and at the Kuchiki manor he couldn't appear without an appointment. He hoped that he catch his captain in a good mood and get some ingormations from him, but apparently Byakuya didn't show up at work, either. He turned, prepared to return to his office… But then he saw Byakuya approaching.

"Taicho! Taicho!" he shouted as he running to him.

"Renji… there's no need to yell. I'm not deaf." Byakuya replied with a slight forwn.

"I'm sorry" he said and made a deep bow. "But I was waiting for you!"

"I wonder why that is not surprising me." Byakuya replied while he was heading to his office. "What happened? You couldn't manage this week's rapports?"

"Well, now that you mentioned, I have some problems with the reports… but that's not why I was waiting for you. Actually is about… Rukia"

Hearing his sister's name mentioned, Byakuya stopped and turned to Renji curiously:

"I mean, she didn't show up at work and I was wondering… if she's alright." Renji said with a low voice, intimidated by the inquiry expression of his captain's grey eyes.

"Rukia is doing fine." Byakuya replied. "She had to take a few days off due to the wedding preparations. Now go back to work, Renji"

'_So it's true'_ Renji stated mentally and felt like something hard just hit him. He stopped in the middle of the corridor and watched his captain furthering away.

"Taicho… can I come and visit Rukia?" he asked with a low voice.

From the threshold of his office Byakuya slightly turned his neck to his lieutenant:

"Renji… bring the reports you had problems with on my desk" were his only words before he closed the door behind him.

.

_To be continued..._

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_**Not much is happening in this chapter, but that is because the initial chapter was so long so i had split it! But don't forget, the more you review, the faster i update! Maybe saturday or sunday... but it depends on you ;)**_


	9. Operation dealing the nobility part 2

**Taiski, IchigoMoonCutter, Noxy the Proxy, pmw928, yagami rin, Phantom Claire, IchiRuki, annia9semi, DinieLuvYunho, chinguchan, ilovebks, scottusa1, anon, LittleRuky, CharlieCharlisle, David12leca, TomoMee, purplepam, Avalon360, Lawr, penlina. Thank you all for your reviews! I want to remind you how each review counts and it helps me to keep up with the updates (even though the story i'm fond of is A frozen ocean of rain)**

**_A little announcement if i may..._**

**_I lately discovered fictionpress and i stared a story there. If some of you may be interested. I have the same pen name "Supergirl waiting for Reamonn" and the story it's called "Punk and other love songs" (and if it happens to drop by could also leave a review ^^?)_**

**_Anyway, enjoy the new chapter!_**

* * *

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_**Operation dealing the nobility part 2**_

_**.**_

Luckily, Rukia managed to escape from Sentaro and Kotetsu just in time to get to dinner. When she arrived home she went directly to the dining room where she found Byakuya, already having dinner.

"Good evening, Nii-sama"

"Good evening, Rukia." He replied. "Were you with Ichigo until now? Did you managed to improve his tea ceremony skills?"

Rukia blinked.

"Actually I—"

But here she swallowed her words as Ichigo's voice echoed on the corridors of the house, approaching the dining room like a storm.

"YOU!" he growled pointing at Byakuya. "There's no way I will change my family name!"

Byakuya turned calmly to his sister.

"So you told him." He stated simply.

"There's no way is going to happen!" Ichigo snapped as he stood up in front of the table.

"Unfortunately, it already happened." Byakuya answered.

"No, it didn't because you need my signature for that, and I can assure you that you will have it!" Ichigo concluded with an evil grin. "So this time it's my win! Ha! My name will stay Kurosaki. Rukia will have it as well and that's that! End of story!"

Byakuya raised his eyes from his plate and faced Ichigo with his most calm expression.

"I'm sorry to inform you, Ichigo…but you already signed the papers" he informed.

"WHAT?!" Ichigo shouted.

Byakuya gasped as he turned to Rukia.

"He's too loud. Do something about him so I can enjoy my dinner in peace."

"M-Me?" Rukia asked confused.

"Well he's your fiancé not mine," Byakuya replied.

"What do you mean by "I already signed the papers"?" Ichigo asked half worried, half horrified.

"Have you forgotten already?" Byakuya asked.

"I haven't signed anything!" he snapped back.

"What about the papers I gave you in my office, the day you accepted to marry Rukia?" Byakuya said.

Ichigo's eyes widened.

"No! No! No! Stop it right there! Those… those… you told me they were the engagement documents!"

"Precisely," pointed Byakuya as he took a bite of his pork steak.

Ichigo was puzzled, standing on his feet next to his chair. On the other side of the table, Byakuya also looked confused, unable to understand what part of his words the orange haired man, couldn't get.

"Just take a seat, Ichigo… the food is getting cold" Rukia tried to intervene, but he ignored her:

"I still don't get it. What does the engagement have to do with being adopted in this family?" he asked.

Byakuya raised his eyebrows surprise.

"Well you weren't expecting for this wedding to be allowed unless you would have been brought to this family. Ichigo, your family is inferior to Rukia's, which means that by marrying her, you'll be adopted into this clan."

Ichigo leaned over the table with an angry expression.

"But don't worry, if you wish you can keep the Kurosaki name, as well" Byakuya added calmly.

"Hmmm…Mr. Kurosaki Kuchiki…" Rukia commented with a slight laugh. "What do you say about it Mr. Double K?"

Ichigo suddenly turned to Rukia with a scolding expression.

"That's not funny, Rukia! Because if I'll be Mr. Double K, then you'll be Ms. Double K!"

Rukia's laugh suddenly disappeared and Ichigo slowly leaned on his seat with the air of a defeated but still shocked man.

"I've been tricked," he stated talking to himself. "I'm doomed!"

"You're just being a child, Ichigo! You should be grateful to be added into one of the most powerful families in Seireitei!" Rukia said with a scolding voice, "You are going to become a noble!"

"Become a noble and what? Compose poetry and perform tea ceremonies for the rest of my life?!" he snapped back.

"I don't think you are sensitive enough to write poetry," Byakuya stated simply. "But the tea ceremony it's absolutely required."

Ichigo made a weary face.

"This reminds me," Byakuya added. "Today, before leaving I said that you will serve us the tea tonight."

"Yeah, right!" Ichigo replied sarcastically.

"Perhaps, I didn't make myself clear" Byakuya repeated, this time using a colder tone of voice. "Tomorrow we will have tea with the four Elders who actually retain the control in the council and you have to prove yourself worthy of the Kuchuki name."

"Good to know that Byakuya. In this case, I won't even show up at the meeting."

Byakuya frowned.

"Don't worry, Nii-sama. I will make sure that Ichigo will make his appearance even earlier than predicted."

"Good," concluded Byakuya. "So now Ichigo, serve us the tea the same way you will do it tomorrow."

"Huh?!" Ichigo snapped. "Me? Serving the tea? If you want tea, go ask the maid!"

Byakuya turned to the maid and Ichigo displayed a cocky, self pleased smile on the thought that he finally won a battle against Byakuya. One second later though, the smile disappeared as the maid brought in front of him the herbals and the hot water, along with all the utensils he used during morning.

"Now Ichigo, please show us how you improved your skills…" Byakuya invited him.

"Hell no!" Ichigo replied. "You tricked me, you made me sign things without knowing what I was doing, and now you're expecting me to serve you tea?! Well you know what? I won't—!"

"UUUUUH! JUST SERVE THE DAMNED TEA, ALREADY!" Rukia suddenly growled with angry eyes.

The table turned silent for a couple of moments as both men widened her eyes. They blinked, starring at each other, until Ichigo made the first move. He silently took the bowl of herbals and started to prepare the tea.

"I-I'm sorry." Rukia said a couple of moments later bowing to her brother.

"It's alright," Byakuya replied with a slight smile, "Apparently yelling has done a bit of good for some _people._"

He watched Ichigo for a couple of moments, but as he was fully absorbed by what he was doing he finally turned to Rukia:

"The Elders will arrive at noon. We will first serve lunch and then we will move to the garden to have tea," he said, "I will take a day off from work so I will also be at home to receive the guests."

Rukia nodded.

"There will be Katsuya, Ryoin, his brother Nanakuma and Saito. You already know them very well, but you will have to pay attention to Katsuya because he's the one who proposed to the council for two of us to get married"

"I see…" Rukia said.

Meanwhile, without paying attention to their conversation, Ichigo was struggling to mix the herbals. After he spilled half of the content on the table, he succeeded on turning the plants into fine powder. He took a deep breath and reached out his hand to pour water over the composition…but then his hand stopped suspended on the air as he couldn't remember in which bowl was the hot water and in which one was the chicken soup for the dinner.

"Ryoin already signed the agreement and his brother as well. That means there is only Katsuya and Saito left to acknowledge the engagement. Once we receive their approval we can proceed with the rest of the wedding."

Ichigo was totally confused. Both of bowls were hot and apparently they had the same smell. He could put a finger inside and taste to see which one contained the water, but right in that moment Rukia turned to him with suspicious eyes. Intimidated by her glare, he just grabbed the first bowl that came to him hand and powered its content in the cups. He had a confident look, but the truth was that he had no idea of what he was doing.

"The tea is ready," Rukia said and the maid approached to take the cups and serve them to Byakuya and Rukia. They slowly took the cups, approaching them to their mouths.

Not sure of what he put them in those cups, Ichigo leaned over the bowl from which he powered. The moment he saw the insights of bowl he closed his eyes.

"_Oh_, f_uck_…" he whispered.

One second later Rukia began to choke violently, while Byakuya remained still with a weary expression frozen on his face. Ichigo didn't put green tea nor chicken soup in the cups, but vinegar.

"I think…" Byakuya said as he put the cup down. "_It would better to serve the tea myself tomorrow, instead of Ichigo."_

.

.

"How could you put in vinegar?" Rukia asked as she sat at the dresser of room and brushed her long dark hair.

"All the bowls looked the same," Ichigo replied shrugging his shoulders. He approached her bed and laid on it, letting a big yawn out of his mouth.

"And what if all the bowls will look the same tomorrow? Are you going to serve vinegar to Katsuya, as well?" she asked.

"Well you heard Byakuya. He said he's going to perform the ceremony in my place…and I think that's the least he can do after he tricked me into _changing my family name_," he replied.

Rukia gasped and put down the brush, approaching him.

"Nobody tricked you, Ichigo. You are going to receive the Kuchiki name only for appearances." She said as she sat on the edge of the bed, next to him. "When we will go back to Karakura, you will still be Kurosaki. When you will be at the headquarters, Ukitake-sama will still call you Kurosaki."

He looked at her diffidently.

"Trust me, your name it's already a brand…no matter what, you will always be Kurosaki Ichigo… " she added.

"What about you?" he suddenly asked. "Is it your name also a brand or are you willing to become Ms. Kurosaki?"

Her cheeks suddenly turned red and that girlish reaction of her made him smile. In that moment he noticed that it was actually the first time he smiled during that day. That was because lately days with Rukia had been crossing on the fine line of exhaustion and exasperations. Yet, during evening as they were both tired to yell, they were cuddling around each other, embracing themselves with comforting and sweet words. It was a cozy and comfortable atmosphere that almost felt like a home. Maybe that was the reason he slowly cached the sleeve of her night yukata and pulled her to the bed next to him. He put an arm around her and Rukia didn't riposte, even though she didn't know if the one who was hugging her it was a friend or…her future husband.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you during dinner," Rukia whispered.

"Did you?...I don't remember," he lied.

"Really, I am sorry. It's just that I'm so nervous about tomorrow. Those Elders are so hard to satisfy and I really want to make this work…our marriage I mean." She added.

His eyes suddenly widened.

"I know I put a lot of pressure on you and for your knowledge, I also find the tea ceremony stupid. But for Nii-sama and for those Elders it's important," she said.

Ichigo paid only half of attention to her words since his mind remained stocked on the words:

"_I really want to make this work…our marriage I mean"._

"Do you Rukia? Do you really want to make it work?" he asked with a whisper.

She looked at him slightly surprised and she opened her mouth to give her answer, but the next moment someone knocked on the door.

"Yes?" Rukia said as she instantly got up from the bed.

"It's Mariko. I've came to take Kurosaki-sama to his room."

Hearing the maid, Ichigo also got up from the bed with a confused expression.

"What?" Rukia asked with an innocent look, "I don't suppose you were expecting for us to sleep in the same room."

"Rukia, we shared the bed for a whole week back home!"

"Back at _your home…not mine_. Here, in the Kuchiki manor we are must act in conformity with our etiquettes. Don't forget Ichigo, now we are both nobles and we—"

Ichigo rolled his eyes with boredom as another "The Kuchiki's are the most noble among the nobles" episode was about to begin. He left the room while she was still talking, too passionately to actually notice his absence. By the time she would the end of her speech, he'd probably be already asleep…in this own room.

.

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**_Until next time you know it! Read and review~! :D_**


	10. Operation dealing the nobility part 3

**_Yandel, dominusalthus, WhiteSheWolf17, Rndd, Black Mice, purplepam (Rukia has long raven hair), Avalon360, Taiski, annia9semi, scottusa1, mcoyne, thank you for your reviews! :)_**

**_New chap is out! Enjoy!_**

* * *

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_**Operation dealing the nobility part 3**_

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From the last chapter: _"Back at__your home…not mine__. Here, in the Kuchiki manor we are must act in conformity with our etiquettes. Don't forget Ichigo, now we are both nobles and we—"_

_Ichigo rolled his eyes with boredom as another "The Kuchiki's are the most noble among the nobles" episode was about to begin. He left the room while she was still talking, too passionately to actually notice his absence. By the time she would the end of her speech, he'd probably be already asleep…in this own room._

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* * *

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"Pssst!"

Rukia, half asleep already, heard him, but she didn't want to answer him, since he left her earlier, while she was right in the middle of wonderful speech regarding the greatness of the Kuchiki name.

"Pssst!"

No, she was decided to ignore him.

"Pssst!"

"What is it now, Ichigo?" she asked with a whispered, annoyed voice.

"It's not Ichigo!" a voice answered from the porch and she instantly got up as she recognized...

"Renji!" she hissed with a scolded voice. "What are you doing here?!" but the moment she approached him and noticed the worried expression on his face, she calmed down.

"I needed to see you," he said.

"Did something happen?" she asked worried.

"Well that's what I was hoping you could tell me."

She frowned confused but a second later she understood that he must be here because of the wedding rumors.

"Is it true, Rukia? That you… and Ichigo…"

She opened her mouth a couple of times, but no word came out. Somehow she founded difficult to admit in front of Renji that in less than two months she will be Ms. Kurosaki. She didn't know why, she just couldn't.

"But why, Rukia?" he asked as he took her silence as positive answer. "I mean you and Ichigo… you never were… or were you?"

"NO!" she intently replied and Renji's face suddenly enlightened.

"So I knew it!" he hissed. "There's no love in this marriage!"

Here again, she didn't answer. She didn't know why. She just couldn't.

"Then what's the catch? Why are you two getting married?"

She gasped.

"Renji, it's complicated… please don't ask why…" she answered with a low voice.

"But I am asking you, Rukia! Because I am worried about you! I mean, two weeks ago we were having fun and we were dirking and now out of nowhere the whole Seireitei it's gossiping about your wedding with Ichigo! Rukia we know each other since we were children…you never hid things away from me"

And those words let her without any reply. He was right. She couldn't lie or hide things from him. Renji was her only true and close friend, of course, apart from Ichigo…but Ichigo was different. She took a deep breath and came next to him on the porch.

"Listen Renji, I will tell you, but you have to swear to me that you won't blow a word to anybody! If you do, my life will be doomed!"

And after she said that, she began to tell him the whole story, starting from the day Byakuya invited Ichigo to lunch and told them about the Council decision. When she finished, Renji frowned slightly disappointed:

"I admit Taicho's relatives are crazy… but Taicho is a smart person, why would he choose Ichigo?"

Rukia looked into his eyes with a guilty expression.

"Actually, Nii-sama thought of you as well…before Ichigo accepted."

Renji's eyes widened with an enthused sparkle in them, making him look like an ecstatic puppy.

"He did? Well that's a great then!"

Rukia frowned confused.

"That means that you can marry me, Rukia!" he explained.

Her eyes widened worried.

"I mean think about it, Rukia. You don't want to marry Ichigo, right?"

She didn't answer, but as he was too enthused he didn't notice that.

"And this marriage will be only for appearances. Think about it Rukia, we know each other since we are children. We lived together before, so it won't be a problem to do it again!"

"Renji…there's no need. I mean, it's ok that I'm marrying Ichigo. Moreover the invitations had been already sent."

"So now you want to marry Ichigo?" he said displeased.

She opened her mouth, but she found herself speechless.

"Kami!" he hissed. "You do want to marry him!"

"I didn't say that!" she riposted.

"Then why don't you marry me? I mean obviously I can manage Taicho better than him and I know how to perform the tea ceremony since Taicho dragged me with him a couple of times before."

She smiled amused with the image of her bother and her childhood friend having tea together, but then she turned to Renji with a serious expression:

"Well Renji, I really appreciate it… but Ichigo is not that bad as it seems… I'm sure he will eventually get along with Nii-sama and he will also learn how to prepare tea…"

Renji frowned.

"So now you're taking his side!" he stated intrigued.

"I didn't say that!" she defended herself.

"But you are, Rukia!" he insisted and her cheeks suddenly turned red. When he noticed that blush, his face suddenly darkened and he bowed his chin.

"I think you like him Rukia…" he stated.

"What?!" she snapped. "No way!"

He smiled bitterly.

"You don't have to hide it, Rukia. And it's ok if that's what you want! But trust me, if he blows this I'll be in the shadows, waiting to take his place!" he concluded.

Her cheek turned even redder and all she could manage to say was, "Thank you!"

"Don't mention it, Rukia. Any friend would have done the same!" he answered and reached his arm putting it around her shoulders. Rukia smiled and returned his embrace, closing her eyes for a second and thinking of how blessed she was to have such carrying friend like him…but then she suddenly opened her eyes as she felt his body becoming tensed.

"Shit!" Renji whispered.

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* * *

.

Ichigo arrived in the room prepared for him, but his mind was still on Rukia's words.

"I _really want to make this work"_.

Was it because she didn't want to disappoint Byakuya? Was it because she didn't want to disappoint herself? Or was it because she actually wanted to be happy next to him? After all, they were about to spend the rest of their lives together.

He put his head on the pillow and then he asked himself: if Rukia is trying so hard to make this work, what was he doing to support her? He remembered she told him that she was nervous about the tomorrow tea ceremony and the meeting he didn't care about it. It's true that Byakuya explained five times how he was suppose to mix those herbals, but the truth was that he didn't even listen to him. That was because he didn't find it important…while Rukia did.

He suddenly got up from the bed. He decided to also make this work, and if the tomorrow tea ceremony was that important, he will spend the rest of the night practicing the ceremonial. He exited the room and walked on the porch heading to Rukia's room. If he was about to learn about tea, the best person about after Byakuya, was her. He kept walking across the porch and when he approached her room he felt relieved to see that the lights were still on. He took another few steps closer, but then he suddenly stopped as any trace of expression disappeared from his face:

Rukia and Renji were on the porch, sharing a very intimate embrace.

"Shit! " he heard Renji whispering and then he saw Rukia turning, with her big eyes widening worried.

"Ichigo!" she hissed.

He didn't say anything.

"It's…It's not what it looks!" she immediately defended herself , pushing Renji away.

"It was just a friendly hug!" Renji confirmed.

Ichigo frowned and then, he finally opened his mouth:

"Well did I say anything? But usually the one who excuses himself is also the one who accuses himself."

"Ichigo, listen to me!" Rukia insisted.

"No, Rukia…" Ichigo replied calmly. "There's no need to excuse yourself. I'm sorry to bother you…I wanted to ask for your help in something but apparently it's not the right moment. Guess I'll see you in the morning! And you, Renji! I'll see you later!"

And after he said that her turned around walked away.

Rukia remained behind looking at him as he was furthering with big rushed steps and when she finally turned to Renji, he whispered to her with a bitter smile, "You must go after him"

"Thank you," was all that she said before she ran after him.

.

* * *

.

Make this marriage work?! What marriage?! There was no marriage! It was just an agreement in order to stop her best friend to marry her brother. Just an agreement! Then why did he fell so angry when he saw her in Renji's arms? Why did he care so much? Why was he so disappointed tonight when he was announced that they will sleep in separate rooms tonight?

"Ichigo!"

He turned from the threshold of his room and saw Rukia was running to him.

"Why did you leave? Renji must be waiting for you," he said trying to sound casual.

"No, he's not!" she replied categorically. "Because he has no reason for that! What you saw, was just a friendly hug! He came because he was worried about me getting married so suddenly!"

"I bet he was!" he replied maliciously.

"Ichigo! " she scolded him, "He just wanted to make sure that I'm alright…and I told him that I'm happy to—".

"Rukia!" he interrupted her with a forced laugh. "You don't have to explain yourself in front of me! I mean, I'm not your real husband. Even if we are getting married, our relationship won't change! We will still be best friends!" he said, but as he heard himself speaking those words, he felt a sour taste feeling his mouth.

Rukia bowed her face.

"I see," she said with a low voice.

"I think you should go back to sleep …or to Renji… I mean, I want to get some rest, since tomorrow it's a big tea ceremony day, right?" he added trying to play cheerfully.

She nodded and he entered the room, pulling the sliding door. She saw him turning off the light. She heard him moving into bed but she felt like she couldn't move from that porch.

"_**You know, Ichigo…even if you are not a real husband… I will try to be a real fiancée**_," she said and then she slowly walked away.

Ichigo opened his eyes and turned the closed door.

"Real?...What do you mean by real?" he whispered, but no answer came back. Rukia was already in her room.

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**_Until next time, don't forget to review! :)_**


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